Method for processing name when combining numerical map shape data

A method for processing a name when converting a numerical map of a low level into a numerical map of a high level in a geographic information system includes the steps of: sequentially determining a main name which is a criterion of comparison and a sub name which is an object of comparison according to priority with respect to names contained in the numerical map of the low level, and generating a main name box and a sub name box according to a position and an area in which the main name and the sub name are displayed on the numerical map of the high level; and checking whether a part or all parts of the sub name box is overlapped with the main name box, and erasing a corresponding name and a name designating coordinate point when there is an overlapped part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a method for processing a name of 
numerical map shape data in a geographic information system (GIS) and, 
more particularly, to a method for processing a name of shape data when 
converting a numerical map of a specific level to a numerical map of a 
multiple level. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Typically, a geographic information system is used in a navigation system 
of a mobile object. The navigation system of the mobile objects such as 
ships, airplanes, automobiles, etc. has a position determination unit used 
in a global positioning system (GPS), and confirms the current position 
and moving speed of the mobile object or determines a moving path. The GPS 
position determination unit receives a radio wave indicating latitude, 
longitude and altitude from 3 or more artificial satellites belonging to 
the GPS positioned in 6 middle orbits, and calculates the current position 
of the mobile object. Map information including this current position is 
displayed so that a driver may see it. A typical navigation system reads 
the map information from an auxiliary storage device, for example, a 
CD-ROM, and displays the current position of the mobile object calculated 
from navigation information received from the satellites. To this, various 
numerical maps should be displayed. In order to efficiently manage the 
data, the numerical maps drawn on a small reduced scale are combined to 
obtain a numerical map drawn on a large reduced scale. 
However, when making the numerical map drawn on the large reduced scale by 
using the numerical map drawn on the small reduced scale, there are no 
standards for processing road and terrain data. Moreover, there is large 
loss of material resources and manpower since such a process for making 
the numerical map depends on manual labor. In addition, if the numerical 
map is simply combined, the name is repeatedly indicated. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for 
automatically arranging a name of shape data according to a corresponding 
level without the name being repeated when converting a numerical map of a 
specific level to a numerical map of a multiple level. 
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for 
processing a name when converting a numerical map of a low level into the 
numerical map of a high level in a geographic information system includes 
the steps of: sequentially determining a main name which is a criterion of 
comparison and a sub name which is an object of comparison according to 
priority with respect to names contained in the numerical map of the low 
level, and generating a main name box and a sub name box according to a 
position and an area in which the main name and the sub name are displayed 
on the numerical map of the high level; and checking whether a part or all 
parts of the sub name box is overlapped with the main name box, and 
erasing a corresponding name and a name designating coordinate point when 
there is an overlapped part. 
The present invention will be more specifically described with reference to 
the attached drawings in which like reference numerals and symbols 
designate like or corresponding parts throughout several views. In the 
following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide 
a more thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be 
apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention 
may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well 
known features or constructions have not been described so as not to 
obscure the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
Referring to FIG. 1, an operation processor 10 processes an operation for 
converting numerical map shape data and processing its name. A map data 
memory 20 stores a numerical map. A key input part 30 is for user 
interface such as the input of various commands and data for converting 
the numerical map shape data and processing its name. A display unit 40 
displays the numerical map and a result of processing the data related 
thereto on a screen. A temporary memory 60 temporarily stores data 
generated when converting the numerical map shape data and processing its 
name. A program memory 50 stores a control program for converting the 
numerical map shape data and processing its name. The program memory 50 is 
accessed by the operation processor 10. A video memory 70 converts data 
supplied from the operation processor 10 so as to be displayed on the 
screen in the display unit 40. 
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an existing road and terrain. Reference 
symbols B1-B5 designate roads, B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5 indicating an 
expressway, a state road, a local road, other roads and a connection road, 
respectively. The connection road B5 is for connecting the roads B1-B2. 
Reference symbols B6-B11 designate terrain, B6, B7, B11, B8, B9 and B10 
designating polygon terrain, line terrain, point terrain, a polygon water 
system, a line water system and an administrative district, respectively. 
The following Table 1 shows the reduced scale, size, number and data form 
of each level. The reduced scale of a level 7 is one to 2,400,000 
including all parts of Korea and has a form of image data. The reduced 
scale of a level 6 having a form of numerical vector data is one to 
1,200,000 of the size dividing the reduced scale of the level 7 by 4 and 
has 4 in number. The reduced scale of a level 5 having a form of the 
numerical vector data is one to 200,000 of the size dividing the reduced 
scale of the level 6 by 6 and has 24 in number. The next levels can be 
analyzed like the above relationship. However, the numerical vector data 
of each level from the level 1 to the level 5 does not always exist. A 
region in which the data does not exist is also contained in number. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
reduced 
level scale size number 
note 
______________________________________ 
7 1:2,400,000 
latitude: 1 image data 
33.degree.-39.degree. (6.degree.) 
longitude: 125.degree.35"- 
129.degree.35" (4.degree.) 
6 1:1,200,000 
latitude: 3.degree. 
4 per numerical 
(.apprxeq. 336,000 meter) 
level 7 
vector data 
longitude: 2.degree. 
(.apprxeq. 176,000 meter) 
5 1:200,000 latitude: 1.degree. 
6 per numerical 
(.apprxeq. 112,000 meter) 
level 6 
vector data 
longitude: 1.degree. 
(.apprxeq. 88,000 meter) 
4 1:100,000 latitude: 30' 4 per numberical 
(.apprxeq. 56,000 meter) 
level 5 
vector data 
longitude: 30' 
(.apprxeq. 44,000 meter) 
3 1:50,000 latitude: 15' 4 per numerical 
(.apprxeq. 28,000 meter) 
level 4 
vector data 
longitude: 15' 
(.apprxeq. 22,000 meter) 
2 1:25,000 latitude: 7' 30" 
4 per numerical 
(.apprxeq. 14,000 meter) 
level 3 
vector data 
longitude: 7' 30" 
(.apprxeq. 11,000 meter) 
1 1:5,000 latitude: 1' 30" 
25 per 
numerical 
(.apprxeq. 28,000 meter) 
level 2 
vector data 
longitude: 1' 30" 
(.apprxeq. 2,200 meter) 
______________________________________ 
The numerical map of any one level consists of various shape data having 
formats shown in Table 2 to Table 9. 
The following Table 2 indicates the format of a header of the shape data. A 
parameter N1 designates the total number of roads including 1,. . . ,N1. 
In Table 2, the total number of roads is indicated as 2 bytes and its 
range is up to 65535 from 0 in decimal notation. A map number has a form 
of ASCII code. A character of the first place of the map number indicates 
the level 6 in the level 7 and has a value of 1 to 4. The character of the 
second place indicates the level 5 in the level 6 and has a value of 1 to 
6. The character of the third place indicates the level 4 in the level 5 
and has a value of 1 to 4. The character of the fourth place indicates the 
level 3 in the level 4 and has a value of 1 to 4. The character of the 
fifth place shows the level 2 in the level 3 and has a value of 1 to 4. 
The characters of the sixth and seventh places indicate the level 1 in the 
level 2 and have a value of 1 to 25. 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
length of 
item data form range 
______________________________________ 
header 
map number 7 ASCII 1100000- 
of character 
4644425 
shape resolution of 
X direction 
2 binary 0-65535 
data display unit 
Y direction 
2 binary 0-65535 
total number (N1) of roads 
2 binary 
total number (N2) of poly- 
2 binary 
gon terrain 
total number (N3) of 
2 binary 
line terrain 
total number (N4) 
of point 
terrain 
total number (N5) 
2 binary 
of polygon 
water systems 
total number (N6) 
2 binary 
of line 
water systems 
total number (N7) of 
2 binary 
administrative districts 
______________________________________ 
The following Table 3 shows the format of road data. Since the total number 
of roads is up to N1, the map data memory 20 has road data 1,. . . , N1 
having the format shown in Table 3. 
TABLE 3 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
road kind of road 2 binary 
011-500 
data total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 4 shows the format of polygon terrain data. 
TABLE 4 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
polygon 
kind of polygon terrain 
2 binary 
100-6000 
terrain 
total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
data shape shape X 4 binary 
0-429496729 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate 5 (meter) 
group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 5 shows the format of line terrain data. 
TABLE 5 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
line kind of line terrain 
2 binary 
100-6000 
terrain 
total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
data shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 6 shows the format of point terrain data. 
TABLE 6 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
point 
kind of point terrain 
2 binary 
100-6000 
terrain 
total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
data shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 7 shows the format of polygon water system data. 
TABLE 7 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
polygon 
total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
water 
shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
system 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
data group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 8 shows the format of line water system data. 
TABLE 8 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
line total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
water 
shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
system 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
data group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 9 shows the format of administrative district data. 
TABLE 9 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
data 
item length 
form range 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
admini- 
kind of administrative district 
9 ASCII 
classification of 
strative character 
administrative 
district district of the 
data Bureau of 
Statistics 
total number (M) of shape coordinates 
2 binary 
1-65536 
shape shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
group point (1) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
. . . 
shape X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
coordinate 
coordinate (meter) 
point (M) 
Y 4 binary 
coordinate 
name number of characters of 
1 binary 
0-15 
data name 
name 30 Korean 
industrial 
standard 
name X 4 binary 
0-4294967295 
designating 
coordinate (meter) 
coordinate 
Y 4 binary 
point coordinate 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
The following Table 10 shows the resolution of the display unit 40 and the 
size of one character of the name of each level. The font used is 
8.times.8. If the font of 16.times.16 is used, each value is doubled. If 
the resolution of the display unit 40 is 1024.times.768, the X and Y 
directions for one character of the name of the level are 34.4 and 58.4 in 
length. Table 10 is previously stored in the map data memory 20. 
TABLE 10 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
calculation 
resolution of 
size of one character of name of each level (meter) 
(size of one pixel of 
display unit 
direction 
1 2 3 4 5 6 level 1) 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
1024 .times. 768 
X 17.2 
86 172 344 688 1376 
2200 .div. 1024 .apprxeq. 
2.15(m) 
Y 29.2 
146 292 584 1168 
3504 
2800 .div. 768 .apprxeq. 
3.65(m) 
800 .times. 600 
X 22 110 220 440 880 1760 
2200 .div. 800 .apprxeq. 
2.75(m) 
Y 37.4 
187 374 748 1496 
4488 
2800 .div. 600 .apprxeq. 
4.67(m) 
640 .times. 480 
X 27.5 
137.5 
275 5So 1100 
2200 
2200 .div. 640 .apprxeq. 
3.44(m) 
Y 46.6 
233 466 932 1864 
5592 
2800 .div. 480 .apprxeq. 
5.83(m) 
20 .times. 234 
X 55 275 550 1100 
2200 
4400 
2200 .div. 320 .apprxeq. 
6.88(m) 
Y 95.8 
479 958 1916 
3832 
11496 
2800 .div. 234 .apprxeq. 
11.97(m) 
240 .times. 240 
X 73.4 
367 734 1468 
2936 
5872 
2200 .div. 240 .apprxeq. 
9.17(m) 
Y 93.4 
467 934 1868 
3736 
11208 
2800 .div. 240 .apprxeq. 
11.67(m) 
200 .times. 200 
X 88 440 880 1760 
3520 
7040 
2200 .div. 200 .apprxeq. 11(m) 
Y 112 
560 1120 
2240 
4480 
13440 
2800 .div. 200 .apprxeq. 14(m) 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
FIG. 3 shows a numerical map shape data converting process. At step f1, the 
numerical map of the lowest level, that is, of the level 1 is made and 
stored. The numerical map is made through an aerial survey, satellite 
photographing, actual survey, etc. At step f2, the parameter n is 
increased by 1. At step f3, 25 data of a lower level than the level 2 is 
combined. That is, the level 2 is formed by adding 25 data of the lowest 
level. At step f4, data which is not suitable for an input data item of 
the level 2 is discarded. At step f5, name data of the level 2 is arranged 
through a process shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. At step f6, whether the 
parameter n is 6 is checked. If the parameter n is not 6, the next level 
is formed. The number of the combined data varies according to each level. 
In the levels 3, 4, 5 and 6, 100, 400, 1600 and 9600 data are respectively 
combined. 
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a name data adjusting process of each shape data of 
any level in FIG. 3. At step g1, the operation processor 10 opens a shape 
data file of the level to be simplified. At step g2, a shape data header 
of the shape data file is stored in the temporary memory 60. At step g3, 
the operation processor 10 arranges a road data name according to 
priority. At step g4, whether the total number of roads is 1 is checked. 
If it is not 1, road name data is arranged at step g5 through a process 
shown in FIG. 5. At step g6, the total number of roads is decreased by 1. 
Step g6 is followed by step g4. 
If the total number of roads is 1, a polygon terrain data name is arranged 
according to priority at step g7. At step g8, whether the total number of 
polygon terrain is 1 is checked. If it is not 1, polygon terrain name data 
is arranged at step g9 through the process shown in FIG. 5. At step g10, 
the total number of polygon terrain is decreased by 1 to update the total 
number of polygon terrain. Step g10 is followed by step g8. 
If the total number of polygon terrain is 1 at step g8, a line terrain data 
name is arranged according to priority at step g11. At step g12, whether 
the total number of line terrain is 1 is checked. If it is not 1, line 
terrain name data is arranged at step g13 through the process shown in 
FIG. 5. At step g14, the total number of line terrain is decreased by 1. 
Step g14 is followed by step g12. 
Meanwhile, if the total number of line terrain is 1 at step g12, a point 
terrain data name is arranged according to priority at step g15. At step 
g16, whether the total number of point terrain is 1 is checked. If it is 
not 1, point terrain name data is arranged at step g17 through the process 
shown in FIG. 5. At step g18, the total number of point terrain is 
decreased by 1 to update the total number of polygon terrain. Step g18 
proceeds to step g16. 
If the total number of point terrain is 1 at step g16, whether the total 
number of polygon water systems is 1 is checked at step 19. If it is not 
1, polygon water system name data is arranged at step g20 through the 
process shown in FIG. 5. At step g21, the total number of polygon water 
systems is decreased by 1. Step g21 is followed by step g19. 
If the total number of polygon water systems is 1 at step g19, whether the 
total number of line water systems is 1 is checked at step 22. If it is 
not 1, line water system name data is arranged at step g23 through the 
process shown in FIG. 5. At step g24, the total number of line water 
systems is decreased by 1. Step g24 is followed by step g22. 
If the total number of line water systems is 1 at step 22, an 
administrative district data name is arranged according to priority at 
step 25. At step 26, whether the total number of administrative districts 
is 1 is checked. If it is not 1, administrative district name data is 
arranged at step g27 through the process shown in FIG. 5. At step g28, the 
total number of administrative districts is decreased by 1. Step g28 is 
followed by step 26. 
The above steps arrange each data according to priority. If the total 
number of administrative districts is 1 at step g26, the operation 
processor 10 judges that a task for each data has been completed. At step 
g29, the remaining data names are arranged according to priority. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a name data processing process. At step h1, the 
operation processor 10 checks whether the number of characters of the name 
(hereinafter referred to as the number of names) is greater than 0 by 
accessing a shape data (for example, road data) region of the map data 
memory 20. If it is less than 0, the operation processor 10 judges that 
corresponding shape data does not have the name and terminates a task. If 
the number of names is greater than 0, a main name box is produced 
according to the number of names at step h2. At step h3, whether there is 
next shape data is checked. If there is next shape data, whether the 
number of names is greater than 0 is checked at step h4. If it is greater 
than 0, a sub name box is produced according to the number of names at 
step h5. At step h6, whether 4 lines connecting 4 apexes of the main name 
box intersect 4 lines connecting 4 apexes of the sub name box is checked. 
If they are intersected, the number of names of the next shape data is set 
to 0, and the name and a name designating coordinate point are erased at 
step h7. 
Consequently, assuming that 10 names correspond to the shape data having 
sequential priority in the order of `HANKANG`, `63 BUILDING`, `YOEIDO`, . 
. . , `DAERIM`, the main name box is set to the name `HANKANG` having the 
highest priority. While the sub name box is sequentially set to the other 
names `63 BUILDING`, `YOEIDO`,. . . , `DAERIM`, the name which should be 
erased, that is, the name overlapped with `HANKANG` is determined. If the 
name `63 BUILDING` is erased through such processes, the main name box is 
set to `YOEIDO`. While the sub name box is sequentially set to the other 
names, the name which should be erased is determined. 
As noted above, when making the numerical map drawn on a large reduced 
scale by using the numerical map drawn on a small reduced scale, accurate 
standards are used in processing the roads with the name and the terrain 
data and it is possible to automate the data. Therefore, a name processing 
method is efficient and the names are displayed without being repeated 
during combining. 
It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
particular embodiment disclosed herein as the best mode contemplated for 
carrying out the present invention, and that the present invention is not 
limited to the specific embodiments described in this specification except 
as defined in the appended claims.