Display method and apparatus for navigation system

A navigation method for displaying a map image on a screen, comprising the following steps of:

• displaying a map image on the screen and specifying a reference line on the map image;
• and
• shrinking map images in directions perpendicular to the reference line based on a non-linear or linear function in such a way that shrink rates of the map images at the same perpendicular distance from the reference line are the same throughout the screen;
• whereby displaying images both sides of the reference line in the directions perpendicular to the reference line that have been outside of the screen.

A navigation system for displaying a map image on a screen, comprising:

• means for displaying a map image on the screen and specifying a center point on the map image;
• and
• means for shrinking the map image coaxially relative to the center point based on a non-linear [or linear] function in such a way that shrink rates of the map images at the same coaxial distance from the center point are the same throughout the screen so that the map images close to the center point shrink in a degree higher than the map images far away from the center point;
• whereby displaying images that have been outside of the screen without much decreasing sizes thereof.

A navigation system for displaying a map image on a screen, comprising:

• means for displaying a map image on the screen and specifying a reference line on the map image;
• and
• means for shrinking map images in directions perpendicular to the reference line based on a non-linear function in such a way that shrink rates of the map images at the same perpendicular distance from the reference line are the same throughout the screen so that the map images close to the reference line shrink in a degree higher than the map images far apart from the reference line;
• whereby displaying map images both sides of the reference line in the directions perpendicular to the reference line that have been outside of the screen without much decreasing sizes thereof.