JP2006138979A - Navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation system which is excellent in operability by integrating the operation methods of displaying a planimetric map and a bird's-eye view. <P>SOLUTION: In the navigation system, a controller 3 performs control so as to display, based on map data, a planimetric map and a bird's-eye view on a display 5. The controller 3 is provided with a rotary switch and a push switch for instructing scroll and rotation of the planimetric map and the bird's-eye view. When the push switch is operated while the planimetric map is displayed, the controller 3 makes the planimetric map scroll in the direction of the operated instruction. When the rotary switch is operated while the planimetric map is displayed, the controller 3 makes the planimetric map rotate in accordance with the operated rotation. When the push switch is operated while the bird's-eye view is displayed, the controller 3 makes the bird's-eye view scroll in the direction of the operated instruction. When the rotary switch is operated while the bird's-eye view is displayed, the controller 3 makes the bird's eye-view rotate in accordance with the operated rotation. Thus, operations for the planimetric map and the bird's-eye view are integrated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device that displays a planar map and a bird's eye view.

  Conventionally, a navigation device that displays a planar map or a bird's eye view on a display device based on map data is known (see Patent Document 1). In addition, there is known a navigation device that instructs rotation and scrolling of a map using a joystick capable of tilting and rotating (see Patent Document 2).

JP-A-8-160854 JP 2002-257558 A

  However, in the conventional navigation device, by scrolling the joystick, the scroll processing is performed on the planar map, but the bird's eye view is rotated on the bird's eye view. That is, the operation method of the planar map and the bird's eye view are different. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses only a planar map, and does not mention any two types of map displays, a planar map and a bird's eye view.

  The present invention provides a navigation device with good operability by unifying operation methods relating to display of a planar map and a bird's eye view.

The invention of claim 1 is applied to a navigation device, and is operated for instructions related to display of a planar map and a bird's-eye view, and a control means for controlling the display means to display the planar map and the bird's-eye view based on map data. An operating means, the operating means has a linear direction indicating operation member operated for indicating a linear direction, and a rotation instruction operating member rotated for instructing rotation. When a linear direction indicating operation member is operated while a planar map is displayed, the linear direction indicating operation member is operated while scrolling the planar map in the direction of the operated instruction and displaying a bird's eye view. Then, the bird's-eye view is scrolled in the direction of the operated instruction, and when the rotation instruction operation member is operated, the bird's-eye view is rotated according to the operated rotation.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the first aspect, when the rotation instruction operation member is operated when the control means is displaying the flat map, the flat map is displayed according to the operated rotation. It is characterized by rotating.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to the second aspect, the control means determines the rotation angle of the planar map or the bird's-eye view according to the rotation angle of the rotation instruction operation member.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to third aspects, when the bird's-eye view is rotated, the control means rotates the position corresponding to the viewpoint of the bird's-eye view. It is.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the navigation device according to any one of the first to third aspects, when the bird's-eye view is rotated, the control means rotates around the own vehicle position.
The invention according to claim 6 is the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotation instruction operation member is a rotary switch.
The invention according to claim 7 is the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the linear direction indicating operation member is a plurality of switches arranged in a plurality of directions around a predetermined position. It is what.
The invention according to claim 8 is the navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the linear direction indicating operation member is a joystick.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the operation method relating to the display of the planar map and the bird's-eye view is unified, and a navigation device with good operability is realized.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a car navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The car navigation device has a function for presenting information related to vehicle travel, specifically, a function for displaying a road map around the vehicle position, a function for calculating a recommended route from the departure point to the destination, and a calculated recommended route. It also has a function to perform route guidance based on the above. It is a device that performs so-called navigation or road guidance.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a current position detection device that detects the current position of a vehicle. For example, a gyro 1a that detects a traveling direction of the vehicle, a GPS sensor 1b that detects a GPS signal from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite, and a vehicle speed Vehicle speed sensor 1c. Reference numeral 2 denotes a map storage device for storing road map data, which includes a CD-ROM 6 which is a recording medium storing road map data and a reading device for the CD-ROM 6. The recording medium is not limited to a CD-ROM, and may be a DVD or other recording medium. The map storage device 2 may be a hard disk device or a semiconductor memory in which road map data is stored.

  The road map data is information relating to the map and includes map display data, route search data, guidance data (intersection name / road name / direction name / direction guide facility information, etc.), and the like. The map display data is data for displaying the road and the background of the road map. The route search data is data including branch information that is not directly related to the road shape, and is mainly used when calculating (route search) a recommended route. The guidance data is data including names of intersections and the like, and is used when the recommended route is guided to the driver or the like based on the calculated recommended route.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a control device for controlling the entire navigation device, which comprises a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits. The control device 3 has a ROM (not shown) for storing a control program and a RAM (not shown) for a work area, executes the control program stored in the ROM, and performs various controls.

  Reference numeral 4 denotes a switch group that is operated to input a destination of the vehicle and instruct to scroll or rotate the displayed map. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing switches that are operated in the switch group 4 when an instruction for scrolling or rotating the map or an instruction for moving the cursor is given. A rotary switch 41 and a plurality of push switches 42 to 49 are shown. 2A is a view from above, and FIG. 2B is a view from the side.

  The rotary switch 41 is a member that can rotate around the rotation shaft 50 and outputs a rotation position signal in a predetermined angle unit. For example, it has a contact in units of 12 degrees, and one rotation can be decomposed into 30 positions. Moreover, it has a click mechanism, and rotation is held in units of 12 degrees. It should be noted that the number of decompositions per rotation need not be limited to 30 and may be 30 or more, or 30 or less. The rotary switch 41 also has a contact point that is turned on by pressing the rotary switch 41 itself, and functions as a determination switch.

  The push switches 42 to 49 are push switches arranged in eight directions in units of 45 degrees around the rotation axis (center point) 50. The switch is turned on by pressing it with a finger or the like. Since the push switches 42 to 49 are arranged in the up / down / left / right oblique directions around the rotation shaft 50, eight directions of up / down / left / right oblique directions can be designated by the respective switches. When the push switches 42 to 49 are arranged on a plane, the vertical direction corresponds to the front-rear direction. Also, the up / down / left / right diagonal directions correspond to the up / down / left / right diagonal directions on the screen of the display 5.

  Note that a joystick can be used instead of the push switches 42 to 49. The joystick performs the same function as the push switches 42 to 49 by tilting the operation member up and down (or front and back) and diagonally left and right.

  The rotary switch 41 is a member for instructing a rotation direction and a rotation angle, and the push switches 42 to 49 are members for instructing a linear direction diagonally up, down, left, and right. The switch group 4 may be constituted by a remote controller, or may be incorporated so as to be fixed to a navigation apparatus main body or a vehicle instrument panel. When incorporated in the navigation device main body or the instrument panel of the vehicle, the rotary switch 41 and the push switches 42 to 49 are fixed, so that it is easy to perform a rotating operation and a pressing operation.

  Returning to FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a display for displaying a map and various kinds of information, and is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or the like. The control device 3 stores the generated image data in an image memory (video RAM, not shown) and displays it on the display 5. The display data displayed on the display 5 includes various character data and various graphic data such as a road map. The control device 3 functions as a display control device for the display 5.

  The car navigation device configured as described above performs various types of navigation based on the vehicle position information acquired by the current location detection device 1 and the road map data stored in the map storage device 2. For example, a road map in the vicinity of the vehicle position and the vehicle position are displayed on the display 5, and the driver is guided along the route obtained by the route search.

  Next, the road map displayed in this embodiment will be described. The control device 3 generates a planar map or a bird's eye view based on the road map data stored in the map storage device 2 and displays it on the display 5. A planar map is a map whose scale does not change on the same map. On the other hand, the bird's-eye view is a map display in which a predetermined direction is looked down from an overhead viewpoint, for example, a map display in which the vicinity of the current location is enlarged and displayed, and the tip is reduced to display a wide range. That is, it is a map display in which the scale ratio gradually changes in the same bird's-eye view.

  When the push switches 42 to 49 are operated while the planar map is displayed on the display 5, the control device 3 scrolls the displayed planar map in the direction indicated by the operated push switch. Scrolling in the designated direction means displaying the plane map so as to translate in the direction opposite to the designated direction. For example, when the push switch 42 that indicates the upward direction is operated, the map is moved downward, and a new map that appears in the upward direction appears on the upper side of the screen. The scroll speed is determined in advance, and the scroll is continued while the push switches 42 to 49 are pressed.

  When the push switches 42 to 49 are operated while the bird's-eye view is displayed on the display 5, the control device 3 scrolls the displayed bird's-eye view in the direction indicated by the operated push switch. The meaning of scrolling is the same as that of a planar map. However, in the case of a bird's eye view, it is necessary to regenerate the bird's eye view data by changing the viewpoint position to look down each time. The scroll instruction in the bird's eye view translates the viewpoint position in the scroll instruction direction.

  Next, the rotation operation will be described. When the rotary switch 41 is operated while the planar map is displayed on the display 5, the control device 3 rotates the displayed planar map according to the rotational direction and rotational angle of the operated rotary switch 41. Let The center position of the rotation is a predetermined position on the screen of the display 5, for example, the screen center point.

  When the rotary switch 41 is operated while the bird's-eye view is displayed on the display 5, the control device 3 rotates the displayed bird's-eye view according to the rotation direction and the rotation angle of the operated rotary switch 41. The center position of the rotation is the position of the viewpoint of the currently displayed bird's eye view, and it is necessary to regenerate the bird's eye view data by changing the look-down direction every time there is a rotation operation.

  Note that the bird's-eye view data generation method is publicly known. For example, a plane map of a trapezoidal area defined when a viewpoint is set at a predetermined position in the sky and a planar map is looked down at a predetermined looking-down direction and a predetermined looking-down angle is subjected to coordinate conversion by a predetermined method on the display 5 Is displayed. Such a bird's eye view data generation method is disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the viewpoint position of the bird's eye view is moved in the direction instructed by the push switches 42 to 49, and the looking down direction is changed by the rotation operation of the rotary switch 41.

  The rotation of the plane map and the bird's eye view is performed according to the rotation direction and rotation angle of the rotary switch 41 as described above. However, when the speed of the rotation operation is high, there is a possibility that the speed of the display processing and data generation cannot catch up with the speed of the rotation operation. Therefore, a new display may be made when the rotation of the rotary switch 41 stops for a predetermined time or more. In addition, when the rotary switch 41 rotates more than a predetermined number of clicks within a predetermined time, it is displayed as an instruction of a predetermined rotation angle that is an angle within the predetermined number of clicks. Also good.

  Next, the process flow of the control device 3 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of processing performed by the control device 3. This process is started when the rotary switch 41 of the switch group 4 or the push switches 42 to 49 are operated.

  In step S1, it is determined whether the switch operation is the rotary switch 41 or the push switches 42-49. In the case of the rotary switch 41, the process proceeds to step S2, and in the case where it is not the rotary switch 41, that is, in the case of the push switches 42 to 49, the process proceeds to step S5. In step S2, it is determined whether the map currently displayed on the display 5 is a planar map or a bird's eye view. In the case of a planar map, the process proceeds to step S3, and in the case of a bird's eye view, the process proceeds to step S4. Also in step S5, it is determined whether the map currently displayed on the display 5 is a planar map or a bird's eye view. In the case of a planar map, the process proceeds to step S6, and in the case of a bird's eye view, the process proceeds to step S7.

  In step S3, the planar map rotation process described above is performed. In step S4, the above-described bird's-eye view rotation process is performed. In step S6, the above-described planar map scrolling process is performed. In step S7, the above-described bird's-eye view scroll process is performed.

The car navigation apparatus of the present embodiment described above has the following excellent effects.
(1) In the display of the planar map and the bird's eye view, both scroll processes are performed in the same manner by operating the push switches 42 to 49. Thereby, the operation of scroll processing of the planar map and the bird's eye view is unified, and a navigation device with good operability can be realized.
(2) In the display of the planar map and the bird's eye view, both the rotation display processes are performed by rotating the rotary switch 41. Thereby, since a rotation instruction can be performed by a rotation operation, a navigation device with good operability can be realized. In particular, there has been no conventional method for rotating the bird's-eye view with the rotary switch 41. However, in the navigation device of the present embodiment, the operability of the rotation instruction for the bird's-eye view is further improved.
(3) Further, in the display of the planar map and the bird's eye view, both the rotation display processes are performed in the same manner by the rotation operation of the rotary switch 41. Thereby, the operation of the rotation display processing of the planar map and the bird's eye view is unified, and a navigation device with good operability can be realized.
(4) As described above, in the display of the planar map and the bird's eye view, the operations of the scroll process and the rotation display process can be completely unified. In particular, conventionally, scroll processing is performed on a planar map and rotation display processing is performed on a bird's eye view by pressing a push switch arranged in a plurality of directions or tilting a joystick, and the operation is different and the operability is poor. However, in the present embodiment, the operations of the scroll processing and the rotation display processing between the planar map and the bird's eye view are all unified, and the operability of the navigation device is further improved.
(5) Since the rotation angle of the planar map or the bird's eye view is determined according to the rotation angle of the rotary switch 41, the angle to be rotated can be instructed without a sense of incongruity.
(6) In the case of the rotation display process of the bird's eye view, it is rotated around the viewpoint position. Thereby, the rotation display process can be easily performed even at the position after scrolling.
(7) Since the rotary shaft of the rotary switch 41 and the central position of the push switches 42 to 49 are the same, the push switches 42 to 49 can be compactly arranged around the rotary switch 41, and the switch group 4 It can be configured compactly and with good operability.
(8) Since the rotation display process is performed after the operation of the rotary switch 41 is stopped for a predetermined time or more, the map display process can be appropriately performed even when the operation speed of the rotary switch 41 is high. .
(9) When the operation speed of the rotary switch 41 is quick and the rotation angle is large, the processing is performed assuming that a predetermined rotation angle is instructed. This eliminates the need for the user to carefully rotate the rotary switch 41. Even if the rotary switch 41 is appropriately rotated, a display of an appropriate rotation angle can be obtained.

  In the above-described embodiment, eight push switches 42 to 49 are arranged so that eight directions can be designated. However, the present invention is not limited to this. There may be a case where four push switches are arranged in four directions, top, bottom, left and right. Further, eight or more may be arranged.

  In the above embodiment, it has been described that a joystick may be used instead of the push switches 42 to 49. In this case, the stick part of the joystick may be rotated and used instead of the rotary switch 41.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the rotation shaft of the rotary switch 41 and the arrangement center position of the push switches 42 to 49 are set to the same position has been described. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this content. You may arrange | position so that the rotating shaft of the rotary switch 41 and the arrangement | positioning center positions of the push switches 42-49 may differ. That is, the rotary switch 41 and the push switches 42 to 49 may be arranged slightly apart. The same applies when a joystick is used instead of the push switches 42-49. The rotary switch 41 may be arranged away from the joystick.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the center of rotation is set as the viewpoint position during the bird's eye view rotation display processing has been described, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this content. A point slightly advanced in the direction of looking down from the viewpoint position may be set as the rotation center. Moreover, it is good also considering the own vehicle position as a center. When the scroll operation is performed in the bird's eye view, the vehicle position may disappear from the screen. However, when the rotary switch 41 is operated, it always returns to the position of the host vehicle and displays a bird's eye view viewed from a predetermined viewpoint behind the host vehicle position. And you may make it rotate the rotation instruct | indicated with the rotary switch 41 centering on the own vehicle position, and to display a bird's-eye view. In this case, the viewpoint position rotates around the own vehicle position.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example of the car navigation device has been described. However, it is not necessary to limit to this content. The present invention can also be applied to a portable navigation device. Moreover, it is not necessary to limit to a navigation apparatus. The present invention can be applied to any device that displays a planar map or a bird's eye view.

  In the above embodiment, the control program executed by the control device 3 of the car navigation device has been described as being stored in the memory. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The control program and its installation program may be provided on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM.

  Further, these programs can be provided via a transmission medium such as a communication line represented by the Internet. In other words, the program can be converted into a signal on a carrier wave that carries the transmission medium and transmitted. The car navigation device may have a connection function with a communication line, for example, a connection function with a mobile phone.

  Further, the navigation apparatus may be realized by executing the above-described control program on a personal computer or a PDA (mobile terminal).

  Although various embodiments and modifications have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these contents. Other embodiments conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, the correspondence between the constituent elements of the claims and the constituent elements of the above-described embodiment will be described. The control means of the present invention corresponds to the control device 3, the operation means corresponds to the switch group 4, the linear direction instruction operation member corresponds to the push switches 42 to 49, the rotation instruction operation member corresponds to the rotary switch 41, The display means corresponds to the display 5. The description of this association is merely an example, and the present invention is not construed as being limited to this association.

1 is a block diagram of a car navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the switch operated at the time of instruction | indications, such as a scroll of a map, rotation, or a movement of a cursor. It is a figure which shows the flowchart of the process which a control apparatus performs.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Present location detection apparatus 2 Map storage apparatus 3 Control apparatus 4 Switch group 5 Display 6 CD-ROM

Claims (8)

A navigation device,
Control means for controlling the display means to display a planar map and a bird's eye view based on the map data;
Operating means operated for instructions regarding display of the planar map and bird's eye view,
The operating means includes a linear direction indicating operation member operated for instructing a linear direction, and a rotation instruction operating member rotated for instructing rotation,
The control means includes
When the linear direction indicating operation member is operated while displaying the planar map, the planar map is scrolled in the direction of the operated instruction,
When the bird's-eye view is displayed, when the linear direction indicating operation member is operated, the bird's-eye view is scrolled in the direction of the operated instruction, and when the rotation instruction operating member is operated, the operated rotation is performed. A navigation device characterized in that the bird's eye view is rotated according to the above. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the rotation instruction operation member is operated while the planar map is being displayed, the control unit rotates the planar map according to the operated rotation. The navigation device according to claim 2, wherein
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the control means determines a rotation angle of the plane map or the bird's eye view according to a rotation angle of the rotation instruction operation member. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the bird's-eye view is rotated, the control unit rotates the position corresponding to the viewpoint of the bird's-eye view. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein when the bird's eye view is rotated, the control means rotates the vehicle position around the vehicle position. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation instruction operation member is a rotary switch. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linear direction indicating operation member is a plurality of switches arranged in a plurality of directions around a predetermined position. The navigation device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linear direction indicating operation member is a joystick.

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