Map display device, navigation device and map display method

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the thee-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• a view point determining unit for determining a first view point on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from the first view point determined by the view point determining unit, to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• wherein said map display unit includes;
• a hiding determining means for determining whether. in three dimensional space, the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the first view point than the mark so that there is no direct line of sight between the view point and the mark and the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map;
• and
• a view point changing means for automatically switching from the first view point to a second view point which has a direct line of sight to the mark so that the mark is displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map,
• wherein the automatic switching takes place only if the hiding determining means determines that the mark is hidden by the map constituent.

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• a view point determining unit for determining a view point on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from the view point determined by the view point determining unit, to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame, wherein said map display unit includes;
• a hiding determining means for determining whether, in three dimensional space, the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark so that there is no direct line of sight between the view point and the mark and the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map;
• and
• a two-dimensional map display means for automatically forming a two-dimensional map on the basis of the two-dimensional data of each map constituent and automatically displaying the two-dimensional map with the mark on the display frame in place of the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map,
• wherein the two-dimensional map is automatically formed and displayed only if the hiding determining means determines that the mark is hidden by the map constituent.

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• a view point determining unit for determining a view point on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from the view point determined by the view point determining unit, to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• wherein said map display unit includes;
• a hiding determining means for determining whether, in three dimensional space, the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark so that there is no direct line of sight between the view point and the mark and the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map;
• and
• a two-dimensional bird's-eye view map display means for automatically forming on the basis of the two-dimensional data of each map constituent, a two-dimensional bird's-eye view map obtained by viewing a two-dimensional map from the view point, and automatically displaying the two-dimensional bird's-eye view map with the mark on the display frame in place of the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map,
• wherein the two-dimensional bird's eye view map is automatically formed and displayed only if the hiding determining means determines that the mark is hidden by the map constituent.

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from a view point, which is determined on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit, to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• wherein said map display unit includes a duplicative display means for deciding whether or not the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark so that the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and for forming a two-dimensional map on the basis of the two-dimensional data of each map constituent to display the two-dimensional map with the mark on the display frame together with the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map when it is determined that the mark is hidden by the map constituent and thus the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map.

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from a view point, which is determined on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit, to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• wherein said map display unit includes a duplicative display means for determining whether or not the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark so that the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and for forming on the basis of the two-dimensional data of each map constituent, a two-dimensional bird's-eye view map obtained by viewing a two-dimensional map from the view point, to display the two-dimensional bird's-eye view map with the mark on the display frame together with the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map when it is determined that the mark is hidden by the map constituent and thus the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map.

A navigation device for displaying a three-dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storage unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three-dimensional map;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• and
• a map display unit for projecting a mark showing the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit and each map constituent specified by the three-dimensional data stored in said map storage unit onto a plane from a view point, which is determined on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit, to form a first three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and displaying the first three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• wherein said map display unit includes duplicative display means for determining whether or not the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark so that the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map, and for forming a second three-dimensional bird's-eye view map obtained by projecting the mark showing the position of the vehicle and each of the map constituents onto a plane from a view point where the mark showing the position of the vehicle can be viewed, to display the second three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame together with the first three-dimensional bird's-eye view map when it is determined that the mark is hidden by the map constituent and thus the mark is not displayed on the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map.

A map display method for displaying a three dimensional map on a display frame, comprising steps of:

• detecting a position of a vehicle;
• determining a view point on the basis of the detected position of the vehicle;
• forming a three-dimensional map in which a mark showing the detected position of the vehicle and map constituents are arranged on a three-dimensional coordinate system, on the basis of the detected position of the vehicle and three-dimensional data of plural map constituents stored in storing unit;
• projecting the mark and the map constituent arranged on the three-dimensional coordinate system onto a plane from the determined view point to form a three-dimensional bird's-eye view map;
• displaying the three-dimensional bird's-eye view map on the display frame,
• determining whether, in three dimensional space, the mark is hidden by a map constituent located nearer the view point than the mark such that there is no direct line of sight between the view point and the mark, and
• automatically changing a projection mode of the mark or of the map constituent behind which the mark is hidden so that the mark is displayed on the display frame even though there is no direct line of sight from the view point to the mark,
• wherein the projection mode is automatically changed only if the hiding determining means determines that the mark is hidden by the map constituent.

A navigation device for displaying a three dimensional map on a display frame, comprising:

• a map storing unit for storing three-dimensional data of plural map constituents which constitute the three dimensional map;
• an appendant information storing unit for storing appendant information of the map constituents stored in said map storing unit;
• a vehicle position detecting unit for detecting a position of a vehicle in which the navigation device is installed;
• a three-dimensional map forming unit for forming a three-dimensional map, in which the map constituents are arranged on a three-dimensional coordinate system, on the basis of the three-dimensional data stored in said map storing unit;
• a projection map forming unit for forming a projection map which is obtained by viewing the three-dimensional map formed by said three-dimensional map forming unit from a view point which is determined on the basis of the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detecting unit;
• a read-out unit for reading out the appendant information corresponding to the map constituent which is arranged on the three-dimensional coordinate system by said three-dimensional map forming unit;
• a visible area detection unit for detecting a visible area on the projection map of the map constituent corresponding to the appendant information read out by said read-out unit;
• a display area setting unit for setting a display area on the projection map of the appendant information read out by said read-out unit, on the basis of the visible area of the map constituent corresponding to the appendant information read out by said read-out unit;
• an adding unit for adding the appendant information read out by said read-out unit onto the display area thereof which is set by said display area setting unit;
• and
• a display unit for displaying on the display frame the projection map which is added with the appendant information by said adding unit.

A map display method for displaying a three dimensional map on a display frame, comprising steps of:

• on the basis of three-dimensional data of plural map constituents stored in storing unit, forming a three-dimensional map in which the map constituents are arranged on a three-dimensional coordinate system;
• forming a projection map which is obtained by viewing the three-dimensional map from a view-point;
• reading out, from an appendant information storing unit for storing appendant information of the map constituents stored in said map storing unit, the appendant information corresponding to the map constituent which is arranged on the three-dimensional coordinate system;
• detecting a visible area on the projection map of the map constituent displayed on the projection map;
• on the basis of the detected visible area, setting a display area on the projection map of the appendant information corresponding to the map constituent concerned;
• adding the appendant information onto the display area of the appendant information concerned;
• and
• displaying the projection map added with the appendant information concerned on the display frame.