DE102005020154A1 - Map display control method, used in navigation system, involves displaying section of geographical road map, dividing displayed map section into different areas, and displaying assigned road classes in divided areas of displayed map section - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves displaying a section of a geographical road map in which different roads are represented by road classes. The displayed map section is divided into different areas, such that the different road classes are assigned and shown within the divided areas. The road classes are allocated according to the importance of the roads. An independent claim is included for the navigation system in which the map display control method is applied.

Description

The The present invention relates to a method of controlling a map display in a navigation system as well as a navigation system that one Method used.

at known navigation systems accesses a computing unit to a digital road map to which on a disk is stored. The data are processed in the arithmetic unit so that on a display a map with streets and possibly POIs or further information is displayed. The map section shown usually hangs from the current position of the navigation system, the calculated route and / or the destination from. The map sections are displayed in different scales. In this case, the more side roads are displayed, the lower the scale is. For big ones Become scales tended to show only highways and major highways.

These However, the nature of the presentation has a number of disadvantages: In the Card will often be either too much or inadequate information about the roads shown. Become in small scales also far off the actual route all minor roads are displayed although you do not need them for orientation or driving. In huge Become scales then displayed the most important routes and thus an orientation allows however, then branches fall out of the ad, too if the directly on the chosen Route lie.

It the object of the present invention is a method for controlling map display in a navigation system through which the orientation for the user of the navigation system is simplified. The user should for him important roads can capture quickly, easily and intuitively, without any information to be distracted for him are unimportant. Furthermore should be provided a navigation system, such a Method used.

These The object is achieved by a Method with the features of claim 1 and a navigation system solved with the features of claim 13. Advantageous training and further education emerge from the dependent claims.

at the method according to the invention a section of a geographic road map will be displayed at least the roads shown in the map section different road classes assigned, the map section is divided into different areas and in the areas different road class quantities are displayed. In this way it is possible in a for the user particularly relevant area all roads represent and in an area responsible for the Users of lesser relevance is to display only main routes.

The Assignment of road classes is preferably carried out according to the meaning of the contained therein streets for long-distance connections. A street class is formed for example by the highways, another street class from the federal highways, another one from the county roads and one more of other roads.

According to one preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is a first area to the current position of the navigation system or along a Route formed. Other areas are preferably one at a time low-ranking area formed. The area with the least Rank is therefore the first range in which the current position of the navigation system or at least part of a route is located. The next higher ranking Area is formed directly around this first area etc.

In higher rank Areas are preferably road classes of lesser importance for long-distance connections not displayed. The higher ranking Areas are the areas that are far from the user or far outside his route are. In these areas, for example, only highways are for him and federal highways for orientation of meaning. Need inner-city roads in these higher ranking Areas not to be displayed.

Further are preferably the more road classes with lesser importance for long-distance connections displayed, the lower the area is.

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, roads in one area are not displayed or otherwise, although they are assigned to a street class which is actually displayed in this area, if there is no possibility of this street having any number of other streets of any street class, to reach the route or the current position of the navigation system without leaving the area. This embodiment offers an advantage when roads of a certain classes start outside of a range and end within that range. If roads of a certain class are cut off at an area boundary, these roads would be cut off shown without a connection to another street. Such a situation can be avoided by this embodiment of the method. The different representation can z. B. via a change in color or transparency.

The Selection which road class quantities in which areas are displayed is preferably dependent from the relevance of the area for a route or for hit the current position of the navigation system. Furthermore, can this selection depending on from the scale the displayed road map done, depending the speed at which the navigation system moves dependent on of whether the navigation system in an inner city or extra-urban Environment and / or depending on the road class, on which the navigation system is located.

The inventive method allows a reduction of roads, which are displayed on a display of a navigation system. This reduction takes into account which roads in which areas for the user is important. The important roads are always the user displayed, less important roads only if they are in immediate Near the User are located.

Instead of streets certain street classes in certain areas at all It is also possible to represent these streets only in other ways, they B. in the background to let occur. These roads can z. B. represented in a different color or in a different transparency become.

The Navigation system according to the invention includes a display for displaying a road map and a computing unit to calculate the data for the street presentation the display device. The arithmetic unit performs calculations the method described above.

The The invention will now be described with reference to exemplary embodiments explained to the drawings.

1 shows schematically the structure of the navigation system,

2 shows an example of a digital road map,

3a to 3d show examples of the formation of regions according to an embodiment of the invention,

4 shows the sample card the 2 to which the method according to an embodiment of the invention has been applied,

5 shows the map of 2 in which another embodiment of the method according to the invention has been used,

6 shows a schematic representation of roads for explaining the method according to the invention,

7 shows the map of 6 wherein an embodiment of the method according to the invention has been used,

8th shows the map of 6 wherein another embodiment of the method according to the invention has been used,

9 shows the map of 6 wherein a still further embodiment of the method according to the invention has been used,

10 shows the map of 6 , wherein a still further embodiment of the method according to the invention has been applied and

11a and 11b show a possible representation in crossing areas.

The navigation system includes a display 10 that with a control unit 20 connected is. The control unit 20 is also one unit 30 connected to read a data carrier, z. B. a CD player. The control unit 20 includes an arithmetic unit, which digital road maps of the unit 30 receives and calculates data to display a section of the map and to the display 10 transfers. It is thus a known per se navigation system.

In 2 a sample map is shown as it could be viewed by a navigation system. The map includes four road classes: K1 contains highways, K2 contains major roads or major arteries in cities, K3 contains county roads or simple main roads in places and K4 contains side roads.

The roads included in the map are assigned to these different road classes K1 to K4. The assignment of the road classes takes place depending on the importance of the roads for long-distance connections. All roads, especially highways, with a particular importance for long-distance connections are assigned to the first class K1. Streets that are only locally in a very be border area are classified in the last class K4. The number of road classes can be selected depending on the road map, in the present example, the division into four road classes was sufficient.

The inventive method reduces the number of roads shown, with the relevance of a Street for the User is considered. The reduction can be done by making certain roads at all not shown. However, it is also possible to change the colors only in another Color or in a different transparency. To reduce the roads shown There are two possibilities: For one thing only the location of the navigation system, i. usually the location of the vehicle On the other hand, the planned route or the taken into account by the navigation system of the vehicle become. This route is known by the navigation system Calculated way. equally the current position of the navigation system is known per se Way of the navigation system, for example, via the reception of satellite signals certainly.

Around the reduction of the roads perform, will be around the selected one Point, i. usually the location of the vehicle or the planned Route laid several areas or corridors. In the first inner Area will be all street classes shown in the outer area only the important roads become shown. In the areas in between then from the outside to inside less and less important street classes with. In The areas are thus displayed different road class quantities. In the first innermost region z. B. the amount of road classes K1 to K4, in the next outer area becomes z. For example, the amount of street classes K1 to K3 shown and in the outermost region is only the road class K1, i. only highways, shown. A street class set is thus for example the first to fourth street class or just the first street class. For example, if you do not want to display highways on a bicycle would be, too a street class amount, comprising the second and third road class K2, K3, for display the streets contained therein in an outer area meaningful.

It is freely definable, how big the respective areas and which street classes are in which areas belong. The definition of the size of the areas itself can take various factors into account. This is for example the zoom level of the displayed map, the speed of the vehicle, i.e. of the navigation system, the nature of the environment, i. z. For example it is an inner-city or extra-urban Area, the road class, z. B. whether the vehicle just a side street or a highway, and the type of traffic situation. This z. B. distinguished Whether a highway is being driven on, whether the vehicle is on the highway is located just before a scheduled departure, whether it is near the destination is located, whether the route guidance of the navigation system is switched on or off.

3a shows three areas B1, B2 and B3 which have been formed around the location of a vehicle F. Three rectangular areas were defined around the location F of the vehicle. The following street classes are displayed in the respective areas:
Area B1: This is the innermost, first area. Here all street classes K1 to K4 are shown. Thus, all roads of the map are displayed here.
Area B2: In this middle area all road classes with the exception of the minor roads, ie the road classes K1 to K3 are displayed.
Area B3: In this outer area only the important and very important roads are shown. These are the street classes K1 and K2 with the highways and federal highways.

The Shape of the areas need not be rectangular, here are any Shapes conceivable in which the vehicle location is not in the geometric center of the form must be.

3b shows circular areas, with the vehicle sitting exactly in the center of the circles.

3c shows rectangular areas with strongly rounded corners, the vehicle is not exactly in the middle sitting, but, if the direction of travel is directed to the right in the representation, placed further to the left. This representation is advantageous because the area in front of the vehicle is more interesting than behind the vehicle.

3d shows club-shaped areas, the vehicle as in 3c not in the middle, but further on the edge is placed. This variant is advantageous because the area in front of the vehicle is more interesting than behind the vehicle and because any changes in direction of the vehicle are better covered.

As mentioned, can the number of areas be increased or decreased, however, two areas are at least necessary and more areas than road classes Does not make any sense.

In 4 the effects of reducing the roads around the location F of the vehicle are shown. One recognizes that around the vehicle all streets of the in 2 shown map shown are in the area B2, the minor roads of the class K4 have been omitted and in the area B3 in addition the county roads of the class K3 have been omitted.

5 shows a corresponding representation in which the areas or corridors are not formed around the vehicle location, but along a planned route R, wherein the route R in the figure also has an end point. As a starting point, the location of the vehicle can be used, but it can also be the already passable part of the route R included in the area B1. The endpoint of the route can be the endpoint of the route. This has the consequence that the area B1 goes out of the illustrated part of the map when the route end point is correspondingly outside the map section. But it may also be that the area B1 follows the route R only for a certain length, z. B. 5 kilometers, because then the detail information again unimportant.

The Areas themselves can be calculated in different ways. A possibility is that the individual area boundaries always have a defined Distance to Route R, z. B. 500 m for the first border, 1,000 m for the second Border, etc. More precisely this means the following: If x is the distance of the boundary of the innermost Range B1 to route R, then: for each point on the range boundary The following applies: there is at least one point on Route R for which the Distance to the area boundary of the inner area B1 is equal to x. All other points on Route R are at least as far away as defined by the distance x.

In the following it will be described concretely how a further reduction of the roads is carried out, ie how the road class quantities are selected for the respective areas. 6 shows a schematic example of a card in which no information has been removed. The map contains a number of streets with different road classes. Each of these streets is a sequence of segments, each segment having a start and an end point.

• a: Der Weg a zweigt direkt von der Route R ab und endet innerhalb des Bereichs B1.
• b: Der Weg b zweigt direkt von der Route R ab und endet außerhalb des Bereichs B1, wobei ein Segment 1 vollständig innerhalb, ein Segment 2 teilweise innerhalb und ein Segment 3 gar nicht innerhalb des Bereichs B1 liegt.
• c: Der Weg c zweigt direkt von der Route R ab und endet auch wieder auf der Route R, wobei aber zwei Segmente 1, 2 teilweise außerhalb des Bereichs B1 liegt.
• d: Der Weg d zweigt direkt von der Route R ab und endet auch wieder auf der Route R, wobei aber ein Segment 2 vollständig außerhalb des Bereichs B1 liegt.
• e: Der Weg e zweigt von einer Hauptstraße K3 ab und beginnt und endet außerhalb des Bereichs B1.
• f: Der Weg f zweigt von einer Hauptstraße K3 ab und beginnt sowie endet innerhalb des Bereichs B1.
• g: Der Weg g zweigt von einer Hauptstraße K3 ab und beginnt außerhalb des Bereichs B1 sowie endet innerhalb des Bereichs B1, wobei das erste Segment des Weges bereits die Grenze zum Bereich überschreitet.
• h: Der Weg h zweigt von einer Hauptstraße K3 ab und beginnt außerhalb des Bereichs B1 sowie endet innerhalb des Bereichs B1, wobei das erste Segment 1 des Weges aber die Grenze zum Bereich B1 nicht überschreitet.

The thick line r is the route R of the vehicle. Along this route R is drawn by means of a first area boundary area B1, the boundaries of which provide the basis for reducing the roads in the area B2. The route R is crossed by two main roads K3. These are not affected by a road cut by the area. Furthermore, there are eight branch lines of the last road class K4, which are potentially affected by the reduction in the area B2. They are referred to below as the path. The paths labeled a to h each represent different cases that must be taken into account by the respective embodiment of the method. Some paths are again divided into segments, which are then numbered. The respective paths have the following special properties:

• a: The path a branches off directly from the route R and ends within the area B1.
• b: The path b branches off directly from the route R and ends outside the area B1, where a segment 1 completely within, a segment 2 partly within and one segment 3 not at all within the range B1.
• c: The path c branches off directly from the route R and ends again on the route R, but with two segments 1 . 2 partially outside the area B1.
• d: The path d branches off directly from the route R and ends again on the route R, but with a segment 2 completely outside the range B1.
• e: The path e branches off a main road K3 and starts and ends outside the area B1.
• f: The path f branches off a main road K3 and starts and ends within the area B1.
• g: The path g branches off a main road K3 and starts outside the area B1 and ends within the area B1, with the first segment of the path already exceeding the boundary to the area.
• h: The path h branches off a main road K3 and starts outside the area B1 and ends within the area B1, the first segment 1 but does not cross the B1 border.

in the Four examples are described below, such as the ones to be displayed Ways can be determined. In each example, the presentation looks a bit different.

First example: clipping at the area boundary

• (i) Liegt der Weg vollständig innerhalb des Bereichs B1, wird er auch vollständig dargestellt (Wege a, f)
• (ii) Liegt der Weg vollständig außerhalb des Bereichs B1, wird er nicht dargestellt (Weg e).
• (iii) Liegt der Weg teilweise innerhalb und teilweise außerhalb des Bereichs B1, wird der Schnittpunkt des Weges mit dem Bereich B1 ermittelt, in Ausnahmefällen kann es für einen Weg auch mehrere Schnittpunkte geben (Weg c, d). Dann werden die Wege so abgeschnitten, dass nur der im Bereich B1 befindliche Teil dargestellt wird (Weg b, c, d, g, h). Auch hier wäre es möglich, anstatt die Wege abzuschneiden, die Teile außerhalb des Bereichs B1 in einer anderen Farbe oder einer anderen Transparenz darzustellen.

In this example, each path is checked to see if it is within the defined range or not. Three results are possible:

• (i) If the path is completely within the range B1, it is also completely represented (paths a, f)
• (ii) If the path is completely outside the area B1, it will not be displayed (path e).
• (iii) If the path is partly within and partly outside the area B1, the intersection of the path with the area B1 is determined, in exceptional cases, there may be several intersections for a path (paths c, d). Then the paths are cut off so that only the part located in area B1 is displayed (Path b, c, d, g, h). Again, instead of cutting the paths, it would be possible to display the parts outside the area B1 in a different color or transparency.

The illustration which results from this method example is in 7 shown.

Second example: clipping at the area border and path tracking

It may happen that paths start outside the area B1 and end within the area B1. In the first method example, these paths then become sections which are displayed without connection to another street (routes h, g in FIG 7 ). This can be avoided by tracking.

way tracking means you for every way it checks a way out of this way there, over as many other roads and main roads as possible to reach Route R, without leaving the defined area, i. here the area B1, to leave. In other words: You can find all the routes that you can take from Route R via main roads and can reach other ways without leaving the area.

On The paths thus determined will again be the first example of the procedure applied, whereby guaranteed all ways at least partially in the range B1 are out there lying ways are not found in the previous step.

The result of this reduction is in 8th shown. Due to the tracking, the paths h and g are omitted in addition to the path e. The other ways are treated as in the first example of the procedure.

Third example: determination outboard segments

The previously described examples, the exact clipping on the Have range limit two sometimes unwanted Properties: On the one hand leads this procedure increased Computational effort to the intersection of the path with the range limit to determine. On the other hand, individual paths are cut off very arbitrarily, what kind of can lead the user to a confusing presentation. It may be better if the user can not accurately identify the underlying area.

• (i) Liegt der Weg vollständig innerhalb des Bereichs B1, wird er auch vollständig dargestellt (Wege a, f).
• (ii) Liegt der Weg vollständig außerhalb des Bereichs B1, wird er nicht bzw. in einer anderen Farbe oder Transparenz dargestellt (Weg e).
• (iii) Liegt der Weg teilweise innerhalb und teilweise außerhalb des Bereichs B1, so wird für jedes Segment des Weges ermittelt, ob es vollständig innerhalb, teilweise innerhalb oder außerhalb des Bereichs B1 liegt. Liegt das Segment vollständig oder teilweise innerhalb des Bereichs B1 wird es dargestellt, sonst nicht bzw. in einer anderen Farbe oder Transparenz. Damit werden die Wege g und c vollständig dargestellt. Bei c schneiden die Segmente 1 und 2 nämlich die Bereichsgrenze, Segment 3 liegt vollständig innerhalb. Beim Weg b wird Segment 3 abgeschnitten, beim Weg h wird Segment 1 abgeschnitten und beim Weg d wird Segment 2 herausgeschnitten.

One way to achieve this is to exploit the individual segments of the paths. Again, there is again the possibility for each way to determine if it is within range B1. There are three possibilities:

• (i) If the path is completely within the range B1, it is also fully represented (paths a, f).
• (ii) If the path is completely outside the area B1, it will not be displayed in a different color or transparency (path e).
• (iii) If the path is partly inside and partly outside of the area B1, it is determined for each segment of the path whether it is completely inside, partly inside or outside the area B1. If the segment is completely or partially within the range B1, it is displayed, otherwise not or in a different color or transparency. This completes the paths g and c. At c, the segments intersect 1 and 2 namely the range limit, segment 3 is completely within. At the way b becomes segment 3 cut off, at the way h becomes segment 1 cut off and at the way d becomes segment 2 cut out.

A equivalent possibility is in, for every segment of a way to check whether it is within range B1. If a segment is completely in the Area B1 or if it cuts the area boundary it will be shown otherwise not or in a different color or transparency.

The result of this reduction is in 9 shown.

Fourth example: determination outboard Segments and tracking

As well As in the second example of the method, the fourth method example can also be used be improved by a tracking.

This works analogously to the third method example, but in addition it is checked for each segment whether it is possible to reach the route R via a number of main roads or paths without leaving the corridor. This accounts for in contrast to 9 the ways g and h.

The path c is basically a special case, since it starts at the route R and stops at the route R. You can start the path now starting at Segment 1 track: then only segment 1 shown as it intersects the range boundary and begins in area B1, the segments 2 and 3 are no longer considered. However, in the segment 3 also cuts the route R, the trail is also tracked from there. segment 3 is therefore shown as being completely in the area B1, segment 2 is represented as it is partly in the region B1 and begins in the region B1. segment 1 is not displayed this time because it starts outside the area B1. In the end, results Nevertheless, a representation of the entire path c.

It follows in this method example, the representation of 10 ,

• (i) Kein Segment darf die Bereichsgrenze überschreiten, d.h. nur vollständig innerhalb des Bereichs liegende Segmente werden dargestellt.
• (ii) Ein Segment darf die Bereichsgrenze überschreiten (so wie vorstehend beschrieben).
• (iii) 1-n weitere Segmente, die sich an das die Bereichsgrenze schneidende Segment anschließen, werden ebenfalls dargestellt.
• (iv) Man kann die Länge der Segmente entweder auf dem Display (z. B. 5 cm) oder in der Realität (z. B. 1.500 m) mit in die Bewertung einbeziehen. Zum Beispiel können so lange Segmente dargestellt, bis ihre Gesamtlänge außerhalb des Bereichs B1 den vorgegebenen Wert überschreiten.

Both method examples, which are concerned with the determination of outlying segments, can be varied and by the number of segments which may be outside the range B1. For example, the following rules can be applied:

• (i) No segment may exceed the range limit, ie only segments completely within the range are displayed.
• (ii) A segment may exceed the range limit (as described above).
• (iii) 1-n other segments following the segment boundary intersecting segment are also displayed.
• (iv) The length of the segments can be included in the evaluation either on the display (eg 5 cm) or in reality (eg 1,500 m). For example, segments may be displayed until their total length outside range B1 exceeds the predetermined value.

The The above process examples can be used on any one another adjacent areas are applied. Besides, they can be on any streets Classes are applied. The different ways how roads work in the above described cases to range limits, can lead to a subclassification the street classes to lead. This subclassification may be used in the presentation in the areas considered become. In one area can for example, the streets of classes K3 and K4, from the fourth street class but only as explained above, certain subclasses.

Finally, the following extensions of the method examples described above are possible:
So far, it has always been assumed that streets of a street class within a defined area either completely or not represented. Often, however, not the roads themselves, but only the crossing areas are interesting. This can be considered as follows: Suppose there is a higher priority road and one or more lower priority roads that branch off that road. Then, of these lower priority roads, only a few parts are displayed (eg, one or two segments or 100 m) that branch off from the higher priority road, resulting in the crossing points.

11a and 11b show an example of the application of these crossing areas. Route R is crossed by an important class K3 route. There are also the branches a and b. Both branch lines a and b cross the important route. Branch line a is fully represented because it lies within the corresponding area B1. Branch line b is outside the range according to the previous method examples and would therefore not be displayed at all. Due to the described extension around intersection areas, the distance b in the vicinity of the important route is represented as an intersection, as it is in 11b is shown.

a to f

ways or secondary lines

1 to 3

segments the branch lines

R

route

F

position of the navigation system or the vehicle

B1 to B3

areas

K1 to K4

road classes

10

display

20

computer unit

30

unit for reading a data carrier

Claims (13)

Method for controlling a map display in one Navigation system in which - a section of a geographical Road map displayed becomes, - at least the roads shown in the map section are different road classes (K1 to K4) are assigned, - the map section in different Areas (B1 to B3) is divided and - in the fields (B1 bis B3) different classes of road classes are displayed. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that the assignment of the road classes (K1 to K4) according to the importance of the roads contained therein for long-distance connections he follows. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized a first area (B1) around the current position (F) of the navigation system or along a route (R) is formed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that further areas (B2, B3) to a respective low-ranking area are formed. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that that in higher ranking Areas (B3) Road classes (K4) with lesser importance for Remote connections are not displayed. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized the lower the area, the more street classes (K4) with lesser importance for Remote connections are displayed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized marked roads not appear in a section or otherwise, though they a street class which is actually displayed in this area, if it is from this street no way there, over any number of other roads any road classes (K1 to K4), the route (R) or the current position (F) of the navigation system to reach without leaving the area. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the selection, which street class quantities in which Areas are displayed, depending on the relevance of the Area for a route (R) or for the current position (F) of the navigation system is taken. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the selection, which street class quantities in which Areas are displayed, depending on the scale of the displayed road map he follows. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the selection, which street class quantities in which Areas are displayed, depending on the speed takes place, with which the navigation system moves. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the selection, which street class quantities in which Areas are displayed, depending on whether the navigation system in an urban or extra-urban Environment is located. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the selection, which street class quantities in which Areas are displayed, depending on the street class (K1 to K4), on which the navigation system is located. Navigation system with a display ( 10 ) for displaying a road map and a calculating unit for calculating the data for the road display of the display ( 10 ), characterized in that the arithmetic unit performs calculations according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 12.