JP2004085362A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To raise a visibility of characters displayed when the characters for designating a point are inputted, in a navigation system. <P>SOLUTION: An alphabet string is displayed in an input character candidate column 41, and a focus 42 having a fixed region set at a center of the column 41 is displayed. Every time when an alphabet (P, A, R, I and S) scheduled to be selected from the string is selected, the string is shifted left and right, the alphabet (P) scheduled to be selected is displayed in the center focus 42. When the alphabet (P) scheduled to be selected is selected and determined, the alphabet is displayed in a selected name display column 43, and the alphabets other than those constituting a name of a name candidate such as a point are removed from the column 41 and the string is set. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a navigation device for displaying a character group and inputting characters.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When characters are input for specifying a point in a conventional navigation device, a point setting screen as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed.
[0003]
On this point setting screen, all the alphabets are displayed in the input character candidate field 45, and the focus 46 is focused on an area of the alphabet (here, M) in which the character selection to be selected is received among a plurality of alphabets. Make it distinguishable from other alphabets. When the character selection to be selected changes, the focus 46 is moved without changing the character to be selected.
[0004]
In addition, when one character is selected from a plurality of alphabets, characters other than the characters constituting the name candidate of the spot name are displayed dimmed so that selection of the dimmed characters is not accepted.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a navigation device, in order to enhance the visibility of a map, a display is changed between daytime and nighttime, and a map is displayed in an overhead view.
[0006]
On the other hand, little effort has been made to improve the visibility of the characters displayed at the time of character input for specifying a point. For this reason, there is an increasing demand for improved visibility of characters.
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a navigation device that can improve the visibility of characters displayed at the time of character input in order to meet such a demand.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The first navigation device for achieving the above object,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on a display device for displaying a map, and character selection reception for receiving selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device Means,
The display control means is configured such that a selected character display area for displaying the selected character is set to a predetermined fixed area, and each time the selection of the selected character received by the character selection receiving means changes. And character group display control means for moving the character group so that the character to be selected is displayed in the selected character display area.
[0009]
The second navigation device for achieving the above object,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on a display device for displaying a map, and character selection reception for receiving selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device Means,
The display control means includes a character group display control means for displaying the character group on the display device, and a selected character display area, which is an area of the character to be selected received by the character selection receiving means, in the character group. Area display control means to be displayed, and selected character display control means for switching the size of characters in the selected character display area to a larger size relative to the size of characters outside the selected character display area in the character group, Having the following.
[0010]
A third navigation device for achieving the object is
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on a display device for displaying a map; and accepting and accepting selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device. Character selection accepting means for accepting whether or not the character to be selected is determined as a selected character, a name file storing a plurality of names including point names in the map, and sequentially selecting the character selection accepting means. Name candidate extracting means for extracting a name candidate from among the plurality of names stored in the name file, based on the at least one selected character thus selected;
With
The display control means causes the character group to be displayed on the display device, and configures the name of the name candidate extracted by the name candidate extraction means each time one of the selected characters is selected by the character selection receiving means. A character group that erases a character excluding a character to be deleted from the character group displayed on the display device, moves a character adjacent to the erased character to an area of the erased character, and fills the character group. It has a display control means, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0011]
Further, a fourth navigation device for achieving the above object,
A navigation device comprising a display device for displaying a map and receiving a character input for designating a point on the map,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on the display device; and accepting selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device, and receiving the received selection. A character selection accepting unit for accepting whether or not the scheduled character is determined as a selected character, a name file storing a plurality of names including a point name in the map, and a character file sequentially selected by the character selection accepting unit. Name candidate extracting means for extracting a name candidate from a plurality of the names stored in the name file based on one or more of the selected characters,
The display control means displays a selected character display area, which is an area of the character to be selected received by the character selection receiving means, in a predetermined fixed area; and displays the character group on the display. Each time one of the selected characters is selected by the character selection receiving means, a character excluding the characters constituting the name of the name candidate extracted by the name candidate extracting means is displayed on the display device. The character group that has been erased is moved to the area of the erased character, and the character adjacent to the erased character is moved to fill the character group, and the selected schedule received by the character selection receiving unit is deleted. A character group display control means for moving a character group displayed on the display device so that the character to be selected is displayed in the selected character display area each time the selection of a character is changed; Selected character display control means for switching the size of characters in the selected character display area to a larger size relative to the size of characters outside the selected character display area in the set of characters. It is a feature.
[0012]
Here, the character group display control means of each of the above navigation devices includes:
It is preferable that a character outside the selected character display area is displayed on the display device in a color closer to a background color of the character group than a character in the selected character display area.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a navigation device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 1, the navigation device of the present embodiment is provided in a vehicle, and includes a navigation device main body 10, a direction sensor 8 for measuring a direction, and a GPS sensor 9 for receiving a signal from a GPS satellite. Have.
[0015]
The navigation device body 10 stores a display panel 11, a drive circuit 12 for the display panel 11, a sensor interface 13 for receiving signals from a direction sensor, a GPS sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor provided in the vehicle, and map information. A DVD device 14 for reproducing the DVD 7 being operated, operation terminals 15a to 15d for performing various input operations, an operation terminal interface 16 for outputting a signal corresponding to the operation of each operation terminal, various programs and data, etc. A ROM 17 that is stored in advance, a CPU 19 that operates according to a program stored in the ROM 17, a RAM 18 that stores map information from the DVD 7 or a work area of the CPU 19, and connects each interface, the ROM, and the CPU. And bus wiring.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 2, the navigation device body 10 has a display control unit 20 that controls the display content of the display panel 11 by the panel drive circuit 12 and a reception unit that receives various operation signals from the operation end interface 16. A unit 35, a route setting unit 36 for setting a route to the destination point received by the receiving unit 35, and a name extracting unit 37 for extracting a specific name from a name file 33 storing a point name, a facility name, and the like. , Is provided. The display control unit 20 sets the map display control unit 21 for displaying a map on the display panel 11 based on the current location obtained from the sensor interface 13 and the map information obtained from the map information file 31, and the route setting unit 36. A route display control unit 22 for displaying a route on the display panel 11, a character group display control unit 23 for displaying a group of characters (here, alphabets) as a group of characters on the display panel 11, and a reception unit 35 An area display control unit 24 for displaying the area of the selected character to be selected (hereinafter, referred to as focus), a selected character display control unit 25 for displaying the character in focus, and a name extracted by the name extraction unit 37. And a name display control unit 26 to be displayed.
[0017]
Each of the functional components described above functions when the CPU 19 executes various programs stored in the ROM 17. The ROM 17 has a character font file 32 storing various character fonts, and the above-mentioned name file 33 storing various spot names, facility names, and the like, in addition to the above various programs. . The RAM 18 serves as a work area when the CPU 19 executes various programs, and also serves as an area where a map information file 31 for temporarily storing map information acquired by the DVD device 14 is developed.
[0018]
Next, a description will be given of a character input operation when setting a destination in the navigation device of the present embodiment.
[0019]
When the destination is set while the map is displayed on the screen of the display panel 11, the mode switch button 15b is pressed to display the destination setting screen on the display panel 11.
[0020]
FIG. 3 shows this destination point setting screen.
[0021]
On the destination point setting screen shown in FIG. 3, an input character candidate field 41 in which a plurality of alphabets as input character candidates are displayed in a horizontal line, a selected name display field 43 in which sequentially selected characters are arranged in a selection order, a destination point , A City name column 44 indicating the name of the destination “State”, a State name column 45 indicating the name of the destination “State”, and a Category column 46 indicating the destination “Category” are displayed.
[0022]
If the user wants to set “Madison Square Garden” as the destination immediately without specifying the City name in the City name column 44, the State name in the State name column 45, and the Category in the Category column 46, a plurality of operations are required. By turning the rotary button 15a at the end, as shown in FIG. 3, the focus 42 is set to "M" in the input character candidate field 41 as the character to be selected. Note that, as described later, in the character non-input stage of the destination point setting screen, the focus 42 is focused on the central “M” in the alphabet string of the input character candidate column. When the focus 42 is focused on “M”, in this case, since “M” is a character to be selected, the rotary button 15a is pressed to confirm the selected character. Then, “M” is determined as a selected character, and “M” is displayed in the selected name display field 43. Subsequently, when the rotary button 15a is turned so that the focus 42 is put on "A" as the character to be selected, the relative position of the focus 42 with respect to the alphabet string moves in response to this operation. Here, the position of the focus 42 is fixed, and the alphabet string moves right and left. When the focus 42 hits "A", the user presses the rotary button 15a to fix "A" as the selected character. The “A” determined as the selected character is displayed in the selected name display column 43 next to the previously displayed “M”. Hereinafter, “D”, “I”, “S”,... Are sequentially determined as selected characters. When the setting of “Madison Square Garden” as the destination is completed, the route setting unit 36 sets a route from the current point to the destination, here, “Madison Square Garden”. When the map including the current location is displayed on the display panel 11 by the map display control unit 21, the route is displayed on the map by the route display control unit 22. Each time the receiving unit 35 receives the selected character, the receiving unit 35 stores the selected character in the destination / route storage unit 38. When the route setting unit 36 receives the end of the setting of the destination from the receiving unit 35, the destination unit / route A route is set based on the destination stored in the storage unit 38.
[0023]
In the above, when the destination setting screen is displayed on the display panel 11 by the operation of the mode switching button 15b, the character group display control unit 23 refers to the character font file 32 and displays 26 characters as a character group. The alphabet string is displayed in the input character candidate field 41 on the destination point setting screen in a gray color close to a white background color. Further, the area display control unit 24 displays a focus (selected character display area) 42 with the center of the input character candidate field 41 as a fixed area. In the character non-input stage shown in FIG. 3, since the alphabet “M” is located in the center of the input character candidate column 41, the focus 42 is displayed so as to surround this “M”. The area of the focus 42 is somewhat larger than the size of the other characters that are not focused, and the selected character display control unit 25 determines that the selected character display control unit 25 has a larger size than the other characters that are not focused. “M” is displayed in black. At this time, the selected character display control unit 25 uses a large character font having a different size from the character font used when the character group display control unit 23 displays a character out of focus. Therefore, in the character font file 32, a font for a character that is not focused and a large font for a character that is focused are stored for displaying a character group of input character candidates. .
[0024]
The focus position is fixed on the screen, and even if the rotary button 15a is turned to select a character to be selected, the character string display unit 23 does not move as described above, but moves the alphabet string to the left or right. Then, the relative position between the alphabet string and the focus changes.
[0025]
As described above, in selecting a character, the focus 42 does not move and the alphabet string moves, so that the operator does not need to move his / her line of sight. Also, here, the character to be selected in the focus is displayed in large black, and the alphabet string out of focus is displayed in gray near the background color, so that the moving alphabet string is inconspicuous. For this reason, the operator does not follow this moving alphabet string. Therefore, the line of sight of the operator, which is the driver, is stabilized, and the visibility of noticeable characters can be increased.
[0026]
Next, the display change in the process of selecting the character to be selected will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows a City name setting screen. The City name setting screen is a screen displayed when the setting of the City name field 44 in FIG. 3 is designated. The input character candidate field 41 in which a plurality of alphabets as input character candidates are displayed in a horizontal line. A selection name display column 43 displayed side by side in the selection order is displayed.
[0027]
Also at the time of displaying the City name setting screen, the character group display control unit 23 refers to the character font file 32 and stores the alphabet string as a character group in the input character candidate field 41 in a gray color close to a white background color. To display. Further, the area display control unit 24 sets the position of “M” located at the center of the input character candidate column 41 as the focus position, and displays the focus 42 so as to surround the “M”.
[0028]
When "PARIS" is set as the city name, first, the rotary button 15a is turned to focus on "P" in the input character candidate field 41 as a character to be selected as shown in FIG. To do. At this time, when the rotary button 15a is turned, the alphabet string in the input character candidate field 41 moves to the left in response to this operation, and moves to the position of the focus 42 displayed at the center of the input character candidate field 41. "P" is reached. In this case, since "P" is a character to be selected, the rotary button 15a is pressed to fix it as the selected character. Then, “P” is determined as a selected character, and “P” is displayed in the selected name display field 43, as shown in FIG. Each time the character to be selected is determined as the selected character, the name extracting unit 37 searches the name file 33 for a City name candidate including the selected character selected so far. The character group display control unit 23 deletes characters other than the characters constituting the City name of the City name candidates extracted by the name extraction unit 37 from the alphabet string in the input character candidate column, and centers the alphabet string. In this case, the name extraction unit 37 searches the name file 33 for a City name beginning with “P”, and extracts a plurality of City name candidates including “PARIS”. The character group display control unit 23 leaves only alphabets (A, E, F,...) Which may be input next in order to set the names for the several items, as shown in FIG. The other alphabets (B, C, D, G,...) Are erased, the number of alphabets constituting the alphabet string in the input character candidate column 41 is reduced, and there is a possibility of inputting at the position where the alphabet is erased. Display Falfabet and fill the alphabet string. As a result, since “L” is located at the center of the input character candidate column 41, the focus 42 is focused on this “L”.
[0029]
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 13C, when the rotary button 15a is turned so that "A" is focused as the character to be selected, the alphabet string moves to the right corresponding to this operation. When the focus is on "A", the user presses the rotary button 15a in order to confirm this as a selected character. Then, as shown in FIG. 3D, “A” is determined as the selected character, and “A” is displayed next to “P” in the selected name display field. In addition, since alphabets that may be input next are all 26 alphabets, the character group display control unit 23 displays all alphabets as alphabet strings in the input character candidate column.
[0030]
Hereinafter, as shown in FIGS. 7E to 7I, "R", "I", and "S" are sequentially selected as selected characters, and "PARIS" is set as the City name.
[0031]
In the same manner as described above, when the selected characters are sequentially determined on the destination point setting screen shown in FIG. 3, only alphabets that may be input next are deleted, and alphabets that cannot be input are erased. I have.
[0032]
Further, in the above-described embodiments, the character input for specifying a point has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, “XXXXX” registered in the name file may be replaced with “Tom's house”. The present invention may be applied to a character input in an editing operation such as changing to "."
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, each time a character to be selected is sequentially selected from the character group of the input character candidates, the character group moves and the character to be selected is displayed in the selected character display area which is a fixed area. Thus, the operator's line of sight is stabilized, and the visibility of a noticeable character can be improved.
[0034]
According to another aspect of the present invention, the selected character display area is displayed in the character group of the input character candidate, and the size of the character in the selected character display area is larger than the size of the character outside the selected character display area. Since the character is displayed, the visibility of the noteworthy character can be improved.
[0035]
According to still another aspect of the present invention, every time a selected character is selected from a character group of input character candidates, characters other than characters constituting the name of a name candidate such as a point are erased and the character group is packed. Therefore, the field of view for viewing the character group may be narrowed, and the visibility of the character group may be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a destination point setting screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a City name setting screen in one embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a display change in a process of selecting a character to be selected in one embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a destination point setting screen in a conventional navigation device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Navigation apparatus main body, 11 ... Display panel, 15a-15d ... Operation terminal, 20 ... Display control part, 21 ... Map display control part, 22 ... Route display control part, 23 ... Character group display control part, 24 ... Area display Control unit, 25: selected character display control unit, 33: name file, 35: reception unit, 36: route setting unit, 37: name extraction unit, 41: input character candidate field, 42: focus (selected character display area), 43 ... Selection name display column.

Claims (10)

In a navigation device including a display device for displaying a map,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on the display device;
Character selection accepting means for accepting selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device,
With
The display control means,
A selected character display area for displaying the selected character is set to a predetermined fixed area, and each time the selection of the selected character received by the character selection receiving unit changes, the selected character display area is changed. Having character group display control means for moving the character group so that the character to be selected is displayed within
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to claim 1,
The display control means,
The selected character display area, having an area display control means for displaying the predetermined fixed area,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 and 2,
The display control means,
A selected character display control unit configured to switch a size of a character in the selected character display area to a larger size than a size of a character outside the selected character display area in the character group displayed on the display device; ,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. A navigation device comprising a display device for displaying a map and receiving a character input for designating a point on the map,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on the display device;
Character selection receiving means for receiving a selection of a character to be selected from among the character group displayed on the display device and receiving whether or not to accept the received character to be selected as a selected character,
A name file storing a plurality of names including the point names in the map,
Name candidate extracting means for extracting a name candidate from among the plurality of names stored in the name file, based on one or more of the selected characters sequentially selected by the character selection receiving means,
With
The display control means,
Area display control means for displaying a selected character display area, which is an area of the character to be selected received by the character selection receiving means, in a predetermined fixed area,
The character group is displayed on the display device, and each time one of the selected characters is selected by the character selection receiving unit, a character excluding a character constituting a name of a name candidate extracted by the name candidate extracting unit is deleted. Erasing from the character group displayed on the display device, moving a character adjacent to the erased character to an area of the erased character, filling the character group, and using the character selection receiving means. Character group display control means for moving a character group displayed on the display device so that the selected character is displayed in the selected character display area every time the selection of the received selected character changes.
A selected character display control unit that switches the size of the characters in the selected character display area to a larger size with respect to the size of the characters outside the selected character display area in the character group displayed on the display device; Having,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. In a navigation device including a display device for displaying a map,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on the display device;
Character selection accepting means for accepting selection of a character to be selected from among the character groups displayed on the display device,
With
The display control means,
Character group display control means for displaying the character group on the display device,
Area display control means for displaying a selected character display area, which is an area of the character to be selected received by the character selection receiving means, in the character group,
Selected character display control means for switching the size of characters in the selected character display area to a larger size relative to the size of characters outside the selected character display area in the character group displayed on the display device; Have,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to claim 5,
The character selection receiving unit receives a selection of a character to be selected from among the character group displayed on the display device, and receives whether or not to confirm the received character to be selected as a selected character.
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to claim 6,
A name file in which a plurality of names including the names of points on the map are stored,
Name candidate extraction means for extracting a name candidate from among the plurality of names stored in the name file, based on the one or more selected characters sequentially selected by the character selection reception means,
With
Character group display control means of the display control means,
Each time one of the selected characters is selected by the character selection receiving means, a character other than a character constituting the name of the name candidate extracted by the name candidate extracting means is replaced with the character displayed on the display device. Erasing from the group, moving the character adjacent to the erased character to the area of the erased character, filling the character group,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. A navigation device having a display device for displaying a map and receiving a character input for designating a point on the map,
Display control means for displaying a character group, which is a group of a plurality of characters, on the display device;
Character selection receiving means for receiving a selection of a character to be selected from among the character group displayed on the display device and receiving whether or not to confirm the received character to be selected as a selected character,
A name file storing a plurality of names including the point names in the map,
Name candidate extracting means for extracting a name candidate from among the plurality of names stored in the name file, based on one or more of the selected characters sequentially selected by the character selection receiving means,
With
The display control means,
The character group is displayed on the display device, and each time one of the selected characters is selected by the character selection receiving unit, a character excluding a character constituting a name of a name candidate extracted by the name candidate extracting unit is deleted. A character group display control unit that erases from the character group displayed on the display device, moves a character adjacent to the erased character to an area of the erased character, and packs the character group.
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The character group display control means includes:
For characters in the selected character display area of the character group, display characters outside the selected character display area in an inconspicuous color on the display device.
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned. The navigation device according to claim 9,
The character group display control means includes:
Characters outside the selected character display area are displayed on the display device in a color closer to the background color of the character group than characters in the selected character display area,
A navigation device characterized by the above-mentioned.

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