Patent Application
20090082960
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to navigation systems and, more particularly, to a navigation system with an enhanced visual display function.
II. Description of Related Art
Navigation systems of the type used in automotive vehicles have enjoyed increasing popularity. Such navigation systems typically include a display screen on which map data is displayed. Such navigation systems also include processors which compute the most desirable route from the current position of the vehicle and to a destination selected by the user and that route information is also displayed on the display screen.
The previously known navigation systems, however, have typically displayed only two-dimensional (2D) map data on the display screen. As such, these previously known navigation systems fail to provide a perspective view of the map data, i.e. the view that is actually seen by the operator of the vehicle.
A still further disadvantage of these previously known navigation systems is that, although the route information from the current position of the vehicle and to a user inputted destination is clearly shown on the display screen, the travel times to points intermediate the position of the vehicle and the destination are unknown. In many instances, however, it would be desirable to know the approximate arrival times of the vehicle at intermediate points along the route. Similarly, in many situations it would be helpful to estimate the position of the vehicle along the route as a function of time.
The present invention provides a navigation system which overcomes all of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the previously known navigation systems.
In brief, in one embodiment of the present invention, the navigation system has access to both 2D and 3D map data. The 2D map data is displayed on the display screen for the navigation system in the conventional fashion. Such a display includes many different types of objects, such as buildings, golf courses, shopping facilities, etc., in addition to the road link data.
In order to enhance the visual display for the user of the navigation system, an object, such as a building, is selected by the user in any conventional fashion, such as through a touch screen, joystick or other input device.
Once selected, the navigation system accesses a three-dimensional map database to display the selected object together with its surroundings on the display screen in a perspective view, i.e. the type of view that would actually be seen by the operator of the vehicle. Furthermore, the display of the actual perspective view on the screen would vary as a function of which portion or side of the object is selected. For example, a perspective view of a building from the east side of that building would be different than the perspective view from the west side of the building.
As a further enhancement, the navigation system of the present invention, like other navigation systems, displays route information on the display screen, i.e. the most desirable path of travel from the current position of the vehicle and to a destination selected or inputted by the vehicle operator. However, unlike the previously known navigation systems, the vehicle operator may select intermediate points along the displayed route whereupon the navigation system displays the approximate time to that selected intermediate position of the route.
Different means may be utilized by the operator to select an intermediate point along the route between the current position of the vehicle and the destination. In one form of the invention, one or more sliders are also displayed on the screen. These sliders are then manipulated by the user, either through a touch screen function of the display screen, or by other input device, so that the slider intersects the desired intermediate point along the route between the current vehicle position and the destination.
As a still further enhancement of the present invention, the projected position of the vehicle along the route may be displayed as a function of time which is selected and/or varied by the vehicle operator. In one embodiment of the invention, a slider is displayed on the vehicle touch screen to vary the future time between the present time and a future time. Consequently, the projected position of the vehicle along the route is displayed and varied along the route as a function by the position of the slider and thus as a function of the future time. The future time selected by the user is also displayed on the navigation system display screen.
A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
With reference first to
The processor 22 accesses both a map database 24, which is preferably a three-dimensional (3D) map database, to obtain the road link data for the map display and for the route calculations of the navigation system 20. The processor 22 also accesses a traffic flow database 26 which contains traffic flow data for the various road links in the map database 24. The information from the traffic flow database 26 is utilized by the processor 22 when performing the route calculations for the navigation system 20.
Still referring to
With reference now to
In order to enhance the display of the navigation system 20, the top or any side of an object 34 or 36, such as one of the sides 38-44 of the building, may be selected by the vehicle operator using the input device 30 (
Once an object 34 or 36 has been selected, the plan or face view displayed on the display screen 28 may be manipulated by the input device 30 by continuous or multi-touch to view the object in different perspective angles, such as shown in
With reference now to
Step 50 then proceeds to step 52 where the processor 22 obtains the X, Y coordinates of the selected object on the screen. Step 52 then proceeds to step 54.
At step 54 the processor 22 determines which map object in the map database 24 corresponds to the selected X, Y position inputted by the user. Step 54 then proceeds to step 56.
At step 56, the processor determines the direction of the object selected at step 52. For example, step 56 determines which side 38-44 of the object 34 that has been selected by the vehicle operator. Step 56 then proceeds to step 57.
At step 57 the algorithm determines whether the input selection by the operator constituted a single touch or a continuous or multi-touch. If a single touch occurred, the algorithm branches to step 59 and displays the plan view of the selected top or selected side of the object on the screen by using data from the 3D map database 24. Step 59 then proceeds to step 61 and ends the algorithm until the next operator selection.
Conversely, if the selection or touch is continuous or a multi-touch, step 57 instead branches to step 63 where a perspective view of the selected object is displayed on the screen 28 as shown in
Consequently, from the foregoing it can be seen that the present invention provides a greatly enhanced visual output for the display screen of the navigation system which permits the various locations and objects on the display screen to be viewed in a similar perspective as would be seen by the operator of the motor vehicle. This in turn enhances the overall utility of the navigation system.
With reference now to
Upon movement of the slider from the position shown at 92 and, for example, to the position shown at 94, the slider 90 intersects the route 82 at a position 96 intermediate the current position 84 of the vehicle and the destination 86. On doing so, the processor 22 displays the projected time to reach the portion 96 of the route 82 visually on the screen 28 as shown at 98.
Similarly, by again moving the cursor 90 to the position shown at 100, the slider 90 intersects the route 82 at a route position 102 intermediate the current position 84 of the vehicle and the destination 86. Upon doing so, the processor displays the estimated time to reach the route portion 102 on the display screen 28 as shown at 104.
The second slider 88 operates in the same fashion, but in a perpendicular direction, to the slider 90. Consequently, no further description thereof is required. Furthermore, any conventional means may be used to move the sliders 90 and/or 88, such as a joystick, touch pad on the display screen 28 and the like.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides several methods and apparatus to enhance the overall operation and display of a vehicle navigation system. Furthermore, although the present invention has been described for use as a vehicle navigation system, it will be understood, of course, that it may be used in any type of navigation system without deviation from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Having described our invention, however, many modifications thereto will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.
