Patent ID: 8781734

Claim:
A map display method using map data that is provided for each of a plurality of hierarchies corresponding to a plurality of scales and which comprises map character data including road names, for generating and displaying a map image with map characters including the road names at a desired scale, comprising: drawing the map image with the map characters, including road names of a predetermined character size of a first hierarchy corresponding to the desired scale, by using the map data of the first hierarchy of the plurality of hierarchies; adding road names of a second hierarchy of the plurality of hierarchies at a smaller character size than the road names of the first hierarchy on the map image, by using the map character data of the second hierarchy, which is at a scale larger by one step than the first hierarchy, wherein the map image simultaneously displays road names having a character size defined by the first hierarchy and road names having a smaller character size defined by the second hierarchy; wherein drawing a road name of the second hierarchy is avoided if the road name of the second hierarchy overlaps with any road name of the first hierarchy on the map image; and wherein if a road a of the first hierarchy overlaps on the may image with a map character other than the road names of the first hierarchy, the road name of the first hierarchy is not drawn, and if a road name of the second hierarchy overlaps on the map image with a map character other than the road names of the first hierarchy, the road name of the second hierarchy is not drawn.