Location floor number display device in navigation apparatus

A location floor number display method in a vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying the floor number of a floor, in a building, on which a building user serving as a target institution is located, comprising the steps of:

• storing map information including shapes of buildings and storing building information including the number of floors of each building, user name(s) in a building, and the location floor number of the user(s);
• displaying a map including a building in which the target institution is located by pinpoint searching on a display screen by using the map information;
• and
• thereafter, calculating the floor number of the floor on which the user is located from the building information, displaying the indicated building three-dimensionally and displaying the floor of the specified user such that the floor number can be identified, and/or displaying the floor number by characters.

A location floor number display method in a vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying the floor number of a floor, in a building, on which a building user serving as a target institution is located, comprising the steps of:

• storing detailed map information including planar shapes of buildings and roads and storing building information including the number of floors of each building, user name(s) in a building, and the location floor number of the user(s);
• displaying a detailed map on a display screen by using the detailed map information;
• when a building on the detailed map is indicated, calculating a user name list of the building from the building information to display the user name list on a part of the display screen, and displaying the detailed map on another part of the display screen such that the detailed map is inclined by an imaging process, and three-dimensionally displaying the indicated building with a height corresponding to the number of its floors;
• and
• when a user is specified from the user list, calculating the floor number of the floor on which the user is located from the building information, displaying the indicated building three-dimensionally and displaying the floor of the specified user such that the floor number can be identified, and/or displaying the floor number by characters.

A location floor number display method in a vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying the floor number of a floor, in a building, on which a target institution is located, comprising the steps of:

• storing detailed map information including planar shapes of buildings and roads and storing building information including the number of floors of each building, user name(s) in a building, and the location floor number of the user(s);
• displaying on a display screen a detailed map including a building in which a target institution is located by pinpoint searching by using the detailed map information;
• thereafter, displaying user information of a building user serving as the target institution on a part of the display screen, displaying the detailed map on another part of the display screen such that the detailed map is inclined by an imaging process, and three-dimensionally displaying the building with a height corresponding to the number of its floors;
• and
• calculating the floor number of the floor on which the user is located from the building information, displaying the indicated building three-dimensionally and displaying the floor of the specified user such that the floor number can be identified, and/or displaying the floor number by characters.

A vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying on a display screen the floor number of a floor, in a building, on which a building user serving as a target institution is located, comprising:

• a map information storage medium for storing building information including road data, the shapes of buildings, the number of floors of each building, user(s) of a building, and a location floor number of the user(s);
• an input device for indicating a building on a map displayed on a display screen;
• and
• a controller for calculating a user name list of a building indicated by said input device from the building information to display the user name list on the display screen,
• wherein, when a user is specified, said controller calculates the floor number of a floor on which the user is located from the building information, displays the indicated building three-dimensionally and displays the floor of the specified user, such that the floor number can be identified, and/or displays the floor number by characters.

A vehicle navigation apparatus for displaying on a display screen the floor number of a floor, in a building, on which a building user serving as a target institution is located, comprising:

• a map information storage medium for storing building information including road data, the shapes of buildings, the number of floors of each building, user(s) of a building, and a location floor number of the user(s);
• and
• a controller for displaying on a display screen a map including a building in which a target institution indicated by pinpoint searching is located;
• wherein said controller calculates the floor number of a floor on which the indicated target institution is located from the building information, displays the indicated building three-dimensionally and displays the floor of the specified user, such that the floor number can be identified, and/or displays the floor number by characters.

A method of operating a vehicle navigation system, comprising:

• displaying a map on a display screen of the vehicle navigation system;
• selecting a user within a building located on the map;
• and
• displaying a three-dimensional representation of the building on the map.

A vehicle navigation apparatus, comprising:

• a map information storage medium;
• a display screen for displaying a map;
• an input device for selecting a user within a building located on the map;
• and
• a controller for displaying a three-dimensional representation of the building on the map.