Abstract:
The display method and apparatus for a navigation system interchangeably displays a normal map image and a simplified map image in accordance with a user&#39;s preference and complexity of the map image. The method includes the steps of checking whether a simple map mode or a normal map mode is set for displaying a map image on a monitor screen of the navigation system, determining which map elements are selected to be displayed when the simple map mode is set, and displaying the map image with only the selected map elements when the simple map mode is set while displaying the map image with all the map elements when the normal map mode is set. The navigation system is designed to switch between the normal map mode and the simple map mode either manually or automatically.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a display method and apparatus for a navigation system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for interchangeably displaying a normal map image and a simplified map image in accordance with a user&#39;s preference and complexity of the map image. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A navigation system performs travel guidance for enabling a user to easily and quickly reach the selected destination. A typical example is a vehicle navigation system where a vehicle is equipped with a navigation function to guide a driver to a destination through a calculated route. Such a navigation system detects the position of the user&#39;s vehicle, and reads out map data pertaining to an area at the current vehicle position from a data storage medium, for example, a CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory), a DVD (digital versatile disc), or a hard disc. Typically, the navigation system displays a map image on a monitor screen on which the current vehicle position and calculated route are illustrated to guide the user to the destination. The user is able to scroll the map image to see desired locations as well. 
       FIG. 1  shows a display example of a map image on a monitor screen of a navigation system, where the various map elements are shown. This is a typical example of map image showing a downtown area of a city which includes roads, buildings, and POIs (points of interests) that are illustrated in a three-dimensional image. In the example of  FIG. 1 , it has a large number of POI icons, such as gas stations, restaurants, and hotels as well as many buildings, large scale and small scale roads. Moreover, it also has traffic information icons, function keys and menus bars for operations of the navigation system. 
     Although the map image presents useful information, the driver would be overwhelmed by vast arrays of information to detect the information which the driver needs at the moment. There may be a danger that the driver can be distracted from driving by overwhelming amount of information, which can lead to a traffic accident. Especially, the important information such as roads and intersections will be hidden by the building images illustrated in the three-dimensional manner as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Therefore, it is desired that the navigation system is able to prioritize more important information and shows those prioritized information while hiding less important information, thereby assisting the user to concentrate on driving while providing relevant information. Moreover, there is a need of a new display method in that the user can easily switch between a prioritized or simplified map view and a normal map view. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a display method and apparatus for a navigation system which is capable of displaying a simplified map image when a normal map image is complicated because of having a large number of map elements. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a display method and apparatus for a navigation system which is capable of manually or automatically changing between the simplified map image and the normal map image so that desired information can be detected easily and quickly on the screen by the user. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display method and apparatus for a navigation system which is capable of pre-setting as to which map elements will be displayed and which map elements will not be displayed in the simplified map image so that the degree of simplifying the map image can be adjusted. 
     One aspect of the present invention is a display method for a navigation system to prioritize and simplify a map image on a monitor screen. The method includes the steps of: checking whether a simple map mode or a normal map mode is set for displaying a map image on a monitor screen of the navigation system, determining which map elements are selected to be displayed when the simple map mode is set, and displaying the map image with only the selected map elements when the simple map mode is set while displaying the map image with all the map elements when the normal map mode is set. 
     The display method further includes a step of setting either the simple map mode or the normal map mode in the navigation system. The step of setting the simple map mode or the normal map mode is conducted manually by operating a switch on the navigation system. Alternatively, the step of setting the simple map mode or the normal map mode is conducted automatically by an operation of a specified function of the navigation system. 
     An example of the specified function of the navigation system is a map scroll function by which the map image is scrolled to a selected location. The map image in the simple map mode is displayed when the map scroll function is inactive while the map image in the normal map mode is displayed when the map scroll function is activated. 
     The display method of the present invention further includes a step of selecting which map elements should be displayed and which map elements should not be displayed on the map image in the simple map mode. This process of selecting which map elements should be displayed includes a step of displaying a screen which lists categories of the map elements so that a user can specify which map elements should be displayed in the simple map mode. 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a display apparatus for a navigation system to prioritize and simplify a map image on a monitor screen by implementing the various steps of the display method described above. The display apparatus of the present invention enables to simplify the map image so that the simple map allows the user to quickly grasp the important information at a glance. The simple map view shows a simplified map image which eliminates some of the map elements with lower priority. 
     According to the present invention, the navigation system enables to simplify the map image so that the simple map allows the user to quickly grasp the important information at a glance. The navigation system is capable of pre-setting as to which map elements will be displayed and which map elements will not be displayed in the simplified map image so that the degree of simplifying the map image can be adjusted. The navigation system is designed to switch between the normal map view and the simple map view by an operation of a switch or key. Alternatively, the normal map view and the simple map view are automatically switched therebetween depending on whether a specific function is operated or not. The simple map view shows a simplified map image which eliminates some of the map elements with lower priority to avoid the driver from being distracted from driving when he/she would try to obtain the information from the complicated map image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a display example of a map image on a monitor screen of a conventional navigation system which shows a large number of map elements on a three-dimensional map image that typically arises when a vehicle is in a congested area. 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  show examples of map image of the congested area corresponding to  FIG. 1  when the navigation system is in a locator map operation, where  FIG. 2A  shows a normal map image and  FIG. 2B  shows a simplified map image under the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  show examples of map image of the congested area corresponding to  FIG. 1  when the navigation system is in a route guidance operation, where  FIG. 3A  shows a normal map image and  FIG. 3B  shows a simplified map image under the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  show examples of map image of the congested area corresponding to  FIG. 1  in which the normal map image and the simplified map image are automatically switched therebetween when a scroll function is activated, where  FIG. 4A  shows the simplified map image and  FIG. 4B  shows a normal map image. 
         FIG. 5  shows another example of map image in the simple map mode for the area corresponding to the example of  FIGS. 1-4B  in which three-dimensional images of large buildings are removed from the map image view while the POI icons and other map elements remain the same. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are schematic diagrams showing display examples of navigation system which enables the user to set up the navigation system as to which map elements are to be hidden or displayed in the simple map mode. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing an example of overall operational procedure for eliminating the selected map elements from the map image and redrawing the simplified map image on the monitor screen of the navigation system under the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing an example of configuration of a vehicle navigation system implementing the simple map display method of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an example of road layers or road function classes in the map database for selectively displaying the classes of roads on the monitor screen of the navigation system. 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  respectively illustrate an example of attribute data and position data in the map database for the map elements on the monitor screen of the navigation system where  FIG. 6A  shows road links or segments and 
         FIG. 6B  shows polygon data. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an example of POI data in the map database for illustrating the POI icons as the map elements on the monitor screen of the navigation system. 
         FIGS. 12A-12C  illustrate an example of layered structure of the POI data in the map database for illustrating the POI icons on the monitor screen of the navigation system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The display method and apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention enables to simplify the map image so that the simple map allows the user to quickly grasp the important information at a glance. The present invention is designed to switch between a normal map view and a simple map view by operation of a switch. Further, the normal map view and the simple map view are automatically switched therebetween depending on whether a specific function is operated or not. 
     The simple map view shows a simplified map image which eliminates some of the map elements with lower priority to avoid the driver from being distracted from driving when he/she tries to obtain information from the complicated map image. It should be noted that although the description will be made where the simple map method and apparatus of the present invention is implemented to a vehicle navigation system, the simple map method and apparatus of the present invention can be implemented to other devices, such as portable devices, personal computers, etc. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are display examples in the present invention implementing the simple map mode where the screen shows the map image of a congested area such as a downtown of a city.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  shows the condition where the navigation system is in a locator map mode. The locator map mode is a mode of operation where the current vehicle position is shown on the map image and the map image changes to reflect the movements of the vehicle. Typically, the locator map mode is used when a destination is not specified for the navigation system, thus, no calculated route to the destination is displayed on the monitor screen. 
       FIG. 2A  shows an example of map image on the monitor screen in the normal mode view of the navigation system. As shown, a large number of map elements, such as buildings, POI icons, traffic icons, building footprints, etc. are displayed in addition to various levels (classes) of roads. More specifically, many traffic icons (arrows)  87 , large building images  83 , POI icons  85  are shown in a small area in the map image of  FIG. 2A . This could be distracting to the driver from the driving because some roads and intersections are hidden by other map elements. 
     On the screen, a simple map switch key  71  is provided at the lower end thereof, which is capable of switching the screen of navigation system between the normal map mode and the simple map mode. When the user presses or otherwise executes the simple map switch key  71 , the navigation system will change the map image to the simple map mode shown in  FIG. 2B . In other words, the simple map switch key  71  is designed to either hide the selected map elements from the map image or resume the hidden map elements on the map image. As shown, in the simple map mode, the POI icons  85  and building images  83  are eliminated from the map view to provide a simplified map image. 
     Similarly,  FIGS. 3A and 3B  show display examples in the present invention implementing the simple map mode where the screen shows the map image of the congested area which is the same as that of  FIGS. 2A and 2B .  FIGS. 3A and 3B  show the condition where the navigation system is in a route guidance mode. The route guidance mode is a mode of operation where the navigation system provides the route guidance to a destination after calculating an appropriate route to the destination. The map image of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  indicates the calculated route  77  to the destination on the map image which is typically highlighted to show maneuvering directions on the route. 
       FIG. 3A  shows the map image in the normal map mode, whereas  FIG. 3B  shows the map image in the simple map mode. In the simple map mode of  FIG. 3B , the POI icons  85  and large building images  83  are eliminated while the more important information, i.e., the guidance route  77  and traffic icons  87 , and road images remain visible. Thus, depending on the selected map mode in which the navigation system is operated, the map elements that are eliminated or remained on the map image may differ. 
     In the above examples of  FIGS. 2A-2B  and  3 A- 3 B, the display includes the simple map switch key  71  to switch between the normal map mode and the simple map mode. It is also possible that, in addition to the simple map switch key  71 , the navigation system can be designed to automatically switch between the normal map mode and the simple map mode depending on the circumstances. For example, the navigation system can change from the normal map mode to the simple map mode or vice versa in response to activation of a specific function of the navigation system. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are display examples showing an example of automatic switching between the normal map mode and the simple map mode. In this example, the switching between the normal map mode and the simple map mode is conducted based on whether a map scroll operation is activated or not.  FIG. 4A  shows a map image in the simple map mode which arises when the map scroll key is not operated and  FIG. 4B  shows a map image in the normal map mode which arises when the map scroll key is operated. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4A , when the map scroll operation is not conducted, the map elements of lower priority are eliminated in order to produce the simplified and less clustered map image. For example, when the user is following the route guidance by the navigation system on the calculated route to the destination, it is usually unnecessary to see or even annoying to see too much information, i.e, map elements, on the screen. Thus, in such a situation, the navigation system changes to the simple map mode as shown in  FIG. 4A . 
     Conversely, as shown in  FIG. 4B , when the user operates the scroll key to scroll the map image to find a particular location (ex. by dragging a cursor  95 ), the navigation system will automatically switch from the simple map mode to the normal map mode. This is because, when the driver scrolls the map image, he/she typically wants to know the detailed information regarding the area where the map is scrolled to find a desired place. Thus, in such a situation, the navigation system changes to the normal map mode as shown in  FIG. 4B  to display all of the map elements such as POI icons and building images, etc. 
     Although the simple map mode in the foregoing description eliminates the POI icons  85  and large building images  83 , the map elements that are eliminated and retained are not limited to the above described example.  FIG. 5  is a display example in the simple map mode, wherein the large building images  83  are eliminated from the map view while retaining the POI icons  85 . As will be explained below in detail, the user may set which map elements are displayed or eliminated from the map view. 
     Moreover, in the above example, the navigation display has two modes, namely, the normal map mode and the simple map mode that can be switched by the simple map switch key  71  or automatically as noted above. However, the navigation system may have a plurality of simple map modes where the extent to which map elements are eliminated differ in order to provide a more fine-tuned map image. For instance, one simple map mode may eliminate only large building images  83 , while another simple map mode may eliminate large building images  83 , POI icons  85 , and traffic icons  87 . 
     The criteria as to which map elements are to be eliminated and which elements are to be unchanged on the map image when the simple map mode is enabled may be pre-set by a manufacturer of a navigation system. Alternatively, in addition to such default settings, a user of a navigation system may also be able to set the criteria through a set-up procedure of the navigation system.  FIGS. 6A and 6B  are display examples where the user selects or de-selects the map elements to set the criteria of the simple map. 
     By selecting a map element as shown by the check mark, the user is able to elect the map elements to appear on the map image in the simple map mode. In the example of  FIG. 6A , five categories of the map elements are listed in the windows  93  on the screen. The user has selected three types of map elements, i.e., the major streets, small-scale streets, and traffic icons to be displayed on the simple map while eliminating the POI icons and large building images. Here, the user provides marks  92  in corresponding boxes  91  so that the specified map elements be displayed on the map image in the simple map mode. 
       FIG. 6B  shows an example of screen which will be displayed when the user selects the POI icon in  FIG. 6A . In the example of  FIG. 6B , the navigation system allows the user to select what types of POI icons be displayed in the simple map mode. When the user selects “other than restaurant and gas station”, all of the POI icons except the icons indicating restaurants and gas stations will be displayed on the map image in the simple map mode. It should be noted that the selection methods described above with reference to  FIGS. 6A and 6B  are merely an example, and other map elements may also be shown for selection and de-selection for the simple map mode. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing an example of the basic steps involved in the overall procedure for displaying the simplified map image under the present invention. As the procedure starts, the navigation system will check whether the user has enabled the simple map mode in the step  101 . The user may use a map switch key  71  which may be established on the touch screen of the navigation system to enable the simple map mode as described above with reference to  FIGS. 2A-2B  and  3 A- 3 B. Alternatively, as noted above with reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the simple map mode will be enabled by operation of other function, such as a map scroll function of the navigation system. 
     If it is determined that the simple map mode is not activated in the step  101 , the navigation system keeps displaying the normal map image. If it is determined that the simple map mode is activated in the step  101 , the navigation system checks whether the user has already set as to which map elements should be displayed and which map elements should not be displayed in the step  102 . If it is determined that the map elements are already selected by the user, the navigation system checks the setting ( FIGS. 6A and 6B ) to determine which map elements should be displayed in the step  103 . 
     If it is determined that the map elements are not selected by the user, the navigation system checks the default setting of the navigation system to determine which map elements are selected to be displayed and which map elements are not in the step  104 . Based on the determinations in the steps  103  and  104 , the navigation system will instruct the monitor screen to redraw a simple map image according to the settings in the step  105 . Finally, in the step  106 , the navigation system displays a new map image that has been simplified on the monitor screen. 
       FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of the structure of a vehicle navigation system for implementing the present invention. While the vehicle navigation system is explained for an illustration purpose, the present invention can also be applied to other types of navigation system, such as a portable navigation device implemented by a PDA (personal digital assistant) device, other hand-held devices such as a wireless telephone, or a laptop or notebook computer. 
     In the block diagram, the navigation system includes a data storage medium  31  such as a hard disc, CD-ROM, DVD or other storage means for storing the map data. The navigation system includes a control unit  32  for controlling an operation for reading the information from the data storage medium  31 , and a position measuring device  33  for measuring the present vehicle position or user position. For example, the position measuring device  33  has a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a moving distance, a gyroscope for detecting a moving direction, a microprocessor for calculating a position, a GPS (global positioning system) receiver for receiving GPS signals from satellites and obtaining the current vehicle position, and etc. 
     The block diagram of  FIG. 8  further includes a map information memory  34  for storing the map information which is read from the data storage medium  31 , a database memory  35  for storing database information such as point of interest (POI) information which is read out from the data storage medium  31 , a remote controller  37  for executing a menu selection operation, an enlarge/reduce operation, a destination input operation, etc. and a remote controller interface  38 . Although a remote controller is a typical example for selecting menus, executing selected functions and etc., the navigation system includes various other input methods to achieve the same and similar operations done through the remote controller. 
     In  FIG. 8 , the navigation system further includes a bus  36  for interfacing the above units in the system, a processor (CPU)  39  for controlling an overall operation of the navigation system, a ROM  40  for storing various control programs such as a route search program and a map matching program necessary for navigation control, a RAM  41  for storing a processing result such as a guide route, a display controller  43  for generating map image (a map guide image and an arrow guide image) on the basis of the map information, a VRAM (video RAM)  44  for storing images generated by the display controller  43 , a menu/list generating unit  45  for generating menu image/various list images, a synthesizing unit  46 , a simple map display controller  47 , a wireless transmitter  49  for wireless communication to retrieve data from a remote server, a buffer memory  48  for temporally storing data for ease of data processing, and a monitor (display)  50 . 
     Typically, the data required for displaying the map image is stored in the VRAM  44 . The ROM  40  stores a program that performs the operation described with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 7 , which is executed by the simple map display controller  47 . The simple map display controller  47  can be a part of the CPU  39  or a separate processor. The simple map display controller  47  instructs the display controller  43  to display certain map elements while eliminating other elements from the map image to show a simplified map image on the monitor screen. 
     The simple map display controller  47  checks the map information retrieved from the map database which is typically stored in the data storage medium  31  to identify the map elements to be displayed in the simple map mode and the map elements to be hidden in the simple map mode.  FIGS. 9 ,  10 A- 10 B,  11 A- 11 B and  12 A- 12 C show examples of data structures in the map database from which the specific information regarding the map elements and their locations, shapes, and other attributes may be obtained and their images will be either displayed or erased. 
     An example of layered structure of the map information in the map database (data storage medium  31 ) is shown in  FIG. 9 . In this example, the map information is composed of (1) road layers, (2) background layers for displaying objects thereon, (3) character layers for displaying characters, such as names of cities, towns, and villages, (4) POI icon layers for displaying POI icons appropriately at predetermined positions of POIs with predetermined color and contrast against the background, and other matters. Of these, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the road layers have road link data RLDT, node data NDDT, and intersection data CRDT, and are used for guidance route search processing and map matching processing. 
     The road link data RLDT, which supplies attribute information of a corresponding road, is composed of data such as the number of all the nodes (road segments) in a road link, the number of each node which is a constituent of the road, a road number (road name), and type of road (national road, superhighway, prefecture road, or other type of road and streets). Also, the intersection data CRDT is a set of nodes (referred to as “nodes constituting an intersection”) closest to the intersection from among the nodes on the link, which are coupled to the intersection. The node data NDDT is a list of all the nodes (road segments) constituting the road, and is composed of positional information (longitude, latitude) for each node, an intersection identification flag as to whether or not the node is an intersection, a pointer which points to intersection data when the node is an intersection and which points to a road link to which the node belongs when the node is not an intersection, etc. 
     An example of layered data structure of the map information in the map database (data storage medium  31 ) regarding the background image is shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B . The background layer is divided into units which are further divided into predetermined longitude widths and latitude widths, and has figure data representing plane figures, such as roads, buildings, parks, rivers, lakes, etc., in each unit. As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the range in the absolute longitude and latitude coordinates (X, Y) of each unit is determined by the absolute longitude and latitude coordinates (XT 1 , YT 1 ) and (XT 2 , YT 2 ) of diagonal vertexes E and F. 
     In  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the data of each unit contains (1) attributes, such as a type of primitive, i.e., a line or a polygon, color, and a type of line, and (2) in the case of a line, transition points, for example, a longitude/latitude coordinate sequence (x 1 , y 1 ), (x 2 , y 2 ), . . . , (xn, yn) of each of the element points G 1  to Gn, and in the case of a polygon, the presence or absence of fill-in, and vertexes, for example, a longitude/latitude coordinate sequence (x 1 , y 1 ), (x 2 , y 2 ), . . . , (xn, yn) of each of the element points G 1  to Gn. Also, in the case of a polygon, the data contains data indicating the category (hotels, restaurants, airports, stations, shopping centers, sports facilities, hospitals, golf courses, etc.) of buildings and facilities represented by the polygons. 
     An example of layered data structure of the map information in the map database (data storage medium  31 ) regarding the POI is shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B . The POI icon layer is divided according to each unit, and POI icon data shown in  FIG. 11A  is stored for each POI unit. The POI icon data has, (1) longitude and latitude positions of a POI, (2) a POI icon code including color code to be displayed, (3) a name of road the POI faces, (4) link-constituting nodes of road link in which the POI is present, (5) a category of the POI, and (6) a name of the POI. In the example of  FIG. 11A , a POI icon  50  is displayed along ABC Avenue at a predetermined position on a map at which BBB restaurant is located, as shown in  FIG. 11B . 
     The POI database memory  35  ( FIG. 8 ) stores therein the data regarding a large number of POIs corresponding to various categories, and furthermore, stores the addresses of POIs, telephone numbers, longitude and latitude positions, categories, information specific to POIs, etc., corresponding to each POI.  FIGS. 12A-12C  illustrate an example of layered structure of the POI data in the map database for the representations of the POI icons on the screen of the navigation system.  FIG. 12A  shows a category list,  FIG. 12B  shows a POI list of restaurants in the restaurant category, and  FIG. 12C  shows a list of detailed information regarding the BBB restaurant as POIs in the restaurant category. 
     As has been described above, according to the present invention, the navigation system enables to simplify the map image so that the simple map allows the user to quickly grasp the important information at a glance. The navigation system is capable of pre-setting as to which map elements will be displayed and which map elements will not be displayed in the simplified map image so that the degree of simplifying the map image can be adjusted. The navigation system is designed to switch between the normal map view and the simple map view by an operation of a switch or key. Alternatively, the normal map view and the simple map view are automatically switched therebetween depending on whether a specific function is operated or not. The simple map view shows a simplified map image which eliminates some of the map elements with lower priority to prevent the driver from being distracted from driving when he/she would try to obtain the information from the complicated map image. 
     Although the invention is described herein with reference to the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.