JPH11184376A - Map display device, map display method, and program recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To display a map that allows the current position to be clearly recognized without being affected by the display area. SOLUTION: When a latitude and longitude of a current position are captured in step S1, an image data corresponding to a screen including the latitude and longitude is retrieved from a LEVEL4 screen and set as image data of the LEVEL4. (Step S2). Next, the enlarged pattern No. corresponding to the set LEVEL 4 screen is displayed. Is selected (step S3), and an image of LEVEL0 image data having the smallest scale among the image data constituting the selected enlarged pattern is displayed on the monitor (step S4). next,
The enlarged pattern No. selected in step S3. Are sequentially displayed (step S).
5). Further, LEVEL in the same enlarged pattern
4 is displayed (step S6). By executing the above processing, a map with a sequentially reduced scale is displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map display device and a map display method for detecting a current position and displaying a map including the current position, and a program recording medium storing a program for controlling a map display by a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device for detecting a current position and displaying the detected position, a small-sized hand-held GPS device is known. This small handy type GPS device
It has a PS module and a display unit, and displays the latitude and longitude of the current position measured by the GPS module on the display unit.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional small-sized handy type GPS device, since the measured latitude and longitude are displayed as data, it is necessary to know the position of the GPS device more specifically. It is necessary to use a map such as a road map in which the latitude and longitude lines are entered, and specify the self-position on a paper map based on the displayed latitude and longitude data. In specifying the self-position on this map, a map or a page of the map on which the area corresponding to the latitude and longitude data is printed is selected, and then the map corresponding to the latitude and longitude data is selected on the selected map. The task becomes complicated because it is necessary to find points.

Of course, like a stationary GPS device,
If a map based on the map data is displayed and a mark indicating the current position measured on the map is displayed, the complicated work described above can be eliminated. However, the display area of the display unit is limited as in a small hand-held type GPS device, and if the display area is small, the map displayed on the display area naturally becomes small. It is difficult to quickly recognize the current position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and is intended to provide a map display apparatus, a map display method, and a computer which display a map which allows a user to quickly recognize a current position without being affected by a display area. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium on which a program for controlling display of a map is recorded.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map display device having a display area having a predetermined display area, a current position obtaining means for obtaining a current position, And control means for sequentially enlarging and displaying on the display means a map including the current position acquired by the current position acquisition means. Therefore, a map having a small scale and a map having a large scale are sequentially displayed on the display means having a predetermined display area in accordance with the enlarged display. Therefore, when the user visually recognizes the large-scale map from the small-scale map, the user can easily understand the area when viewing the large-scale map enlarged to the maximum, and as a result, The current position can be easily and quickly recognized in relation to the enlarged map.

Further, in the map display device according to the present invention, the control means further displays the current position acquired by the current position acquisition means on the largest enlarged map displayed on the display means. indicate. Therefore, as described above, after understanding the map displayed by visually recognizing the sequentially enlarged map, the current position is finally displayed, so that the geographical position of the current position can be instantaneously grasped. It becomes possible.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a map display device, further comprising: a map data storing means for storing a plurality of map data having different scales; and reading out the map data stored in the map data storing means. Pattern display means for displaying a plurality of enlarged patterns indicating a reading order on the display means for enlarging and displaying the map, wherein the control means comprises: map data to which a current position acquired by the current position acquisition means belongs. Is selected from the pattern storage means, and map data indicated by the selected enlarged pattern is sequentially read out from the map data storage means, and the map is enlarged and displayed on the display means. That is, the enlarged display of the map is performed by reading and displaying the map data in the order indicated by the selected enlarged pattern. Therefore, the map including the current position can be sequentially enlarged and displayed by simple control and processing without requiring complicated image processing.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the map display device, the current position obtaining means obtains latitude / longitude information of a current position, and map data for displaying a map on the display means. And storage means for storing latitude and longitude information of a predetermined position in the map data.
The control unit calculates a current position on a map displayed on the display unit based on the longitude / latitude information of a predetermined position in the map data and the latitude / longitude information of the current position acquired by the current position acquisition unit. And display this. Therefore, it is not necessary to store a large number of latitude / longitude information corresponding to each point in the map data, and if only one point of latitude / longitude information is stored, the current position can be calculated, and only a small amount of storage information is required. The current position can be calculated.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the control means calculates a dot corresponding to a current position on a map displayed on the display means, and displays the calculated dot in a blinking manner. Let it. Therefore, the current position can be calculated with a small amount of stored information as described above, and the current position is accurately and clearly displayed on the map on the reduced scale from the dots.

In the map display method according to the present invention, a current position obtaining process for obtaining a current position and a map including the current position obtained by the current position obtaining process are sequentially enlarged on a display means. And executing a control process for displaying, wherein in the map display direction according to claim 7, the control process acquires the current position acquisition process on the largest enlarged map displayed on the display means. Display the current position further.

Further, according to the program recording medium of the present invention, the computer is provided with a current position obtaining means for obtaining the current position, and a map including the current position obtained by the current position obtaining means on the display means. A program for causing the program to function as control means for sequentially enlarging and displaying is recorded, and in the program recording medium according to claim 9, the control means is arranged on a maximum magnified map displayed on the display means. The present position acquired by the current position acquiring means is further displayed.

Therefore, by using the map display method or the program recording medium, it is possible to easily understand the area when viewing the map at the maximum scale that is enlarged to the maximum, and furthermore, to display the current map on the map. By displaying the position, it is possible to instantaneously grasp the geographical position of the current position.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a case where the present invention is applied to a small-sized handheld type GPS device. This GPS device includes a GPS antenna 1 and a GPS
G for demodulating and decoding the L1 band C / A code from the satellite received by the antenna 1 to determine the latitude and longitude of the current position
It has a PS module 2, and the latitude / longitude information determined by the GPS module 2 is
It is taken into PU4. The CPU 4 stores the storage device 5 and various data necessary for the operation of the CPU 4.
M6 are connected via the bus 3, respectively.

The storage device 5 has a recording medium 14 in which programs, data and the like are stored in advance, and this recording medium 14 is constituted by a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory. The recording medium 14 is fixedly provided in the storage device 5 or is detachably mounted. Further, the program, data, and the like to be recorded on the recording medium 14 may be configured to be received and stored from another device connected via a communication line or the like.
A recording device having the recording medium 14 may be provided on another device connected via a communication line or the like, and a program and data stored in the recording medium may be used via the communication line. .

A graphic controller 7 and a CPU peripheral circuit G / A 8 are connected to the bus 3.
A map storage unit 9 is connected to the CPU peripheral circuit G / A8. The CPU 4 constitutes the control means of the present invention in this embodiment, and includes a CPU peripheral circuit G / A8.
The map data and the like are read from the map storage unit 9 via the CPU 11, and a map and the like are displayed on the screen of the monitor 12 based on the map data and the image information stored in the video RAM 11. Further, a key input unit 13 having various operation keys (not shown) such as a MENU key, a cursor key, and an ENTER key provided for operating the GPS device is connected to the CPU peripheral circuit G / A8.

The map storage unit 9 constitutes the map data storage means of the present invention in this embodiment, and has different scales corresponding to the levels LEVEL0 to LEVEL4 shown in FIGS. Map data is stored. As shown in FIG. 2, each map data has a size that can be displayed within a display area S of 31 dots vertically and 32 dots horizontally, and is stored together with the latitude and longitude data of the point P at the upper left end. It is possible to calculate the latitude and longitude of each dot of 31 × 32 dots based on the scale of each level and the latitude and longitude of the point P.

The image data of LEVEL 0 shown in FIG. 2 is data of one sheet corresponding to the image number 0-01, and has almost the same scale as the entire display area S in Japan. The image data of LEVEL1 shown in FIG. 3 has a larger scale than LEVEL0,
The image data is composed of five pieces of image data 01 to 1-05, and is composed of data that can display the whole of the Japanese land while partially overlapping the five pieces of image data. Also, LEVEL shown in FIG.
The image data of L2 has a larger scale than LEVEL1, and is composed of eight images of image numbers 2-01 to 2-08.
It is composed of data that can display the whole of the Japanese land while partially overlapping with eight pieces of image data.

Similarly, the image data of LEVEL 3 shown in FIG. 5 has a larger scale than that of LEVEL 2 and is composed of 13 image numbers 3-01 to 2-13. It is composed of data that can display the whole of the Japanese territory while partially overlapping.
The image data of L4 has a larger scale than LEVEL3 and is composed of 25 images of image numbers 4-01 to 4-25, and the whole of the Japanese land is displayed while partially overlapping the image data of 25 images. It consists of data that can be used.

Further, the map storage section 9 also constitutes a pattern storage means of the present invention in this embodiment, and stores enlarged pattern data shown in FIG.
This enlarged pattern data has the No. 1 to No. 25, and the enlarged pattern No. 25 is used.
1 to No. Each image number of LEVEL0 to LEVEL4 is stored for every 25. This enlarged pattern No.
1 to No. 25 is the image number 4-01 of LEVEL4
4-25 to the maximum level, and LEVEL4
And image numbers LEVEL0 to LEVEL3 including areas corresponding to the maps of image numbers 4-01 to 4-25. That is, each enlarged pattern No. 1
-No. 25 stores the unique image number 0-01 of LEVEL0 as LEVEL0 which is the minimum level, and different image numbers 4-01 to 4-4 of LEVEL4 as LEVEL4 which is the maximum level.
-25 is stored, and LEVEL1 to LEVEL in the meantime are stored.
3 stores an image number including an area corresponding to the map of the image numbers 4-01 to 4-25 of LEVEL4.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment according to the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. That is, a control program for realizing each function shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 is stored in the recording medium 14 in the form of a program code readable by the CPU 4. When the user performs a predetermined operation on the key input unit 13, the CPU 4
Instructs the GPS module 2 to perform positioning, and when the positioning is completed, causes the GPS module 2 to output the latitude and longitude.
This is taken in (step S1).

If the latitude / longitude of the current position is fetched, an image corresponding to the screen including the latitude / longitude is obtained from the LEVEL 4 screen composed of 25 images 4-01 to 4-25 shown in FIG. Search the data and use this as LEV
It is set as image data of EL4 (step S2).
That is, as described above, each image data is stored together with the latitude / longitude data of the point P at the upper left end, and based on the scale of each level and the latitude / longitude of the point P, the latitude of each dot of 31 × 32 dots is stored. Since the longitude can be calculated, image data corresponding to the latitude and longitude of one of the 31 × 32 dots captured in step S1 is searched from 4-01 to 4-25.

Next, the enlarged pattern No. corresponding to the set LEVEL 4 screen is set. Select (Step S
3), the enlarged pattern No. shown in FIG. From 1 to 25, an enlarged pattern in which the image number set in step S2 is LEVEL4 is selected.

Subsequently, among the image data constituting the selected enlarged pattern, LEVEL having the smallest scale is used.
The image of image number 0-01, which is the image data of 0, is displayed on the monitor 12 (step S4). This step S4
As a result, as shown in FIG.
Based on 0-01, which is the only image data at 0,
The map with the smallest scale is displayed on the monitor 12.

Next, the enlarged pattern No. selected in step S3 described above. Are sequentially displayed (step S5). Further, the LEVEL 4 screen in the same enlarged pattern is displayed (step S6).

Therefore, if the above processing is executed, for example, if the latitude and longitude taken in step S1 are included in the screen of screen number 4-01 of LEVEL4, the screen number 4-01 is obtained in step S2. 01 is set, and in step S3, the enlarged pattern No. of FIG.
1 is selected. Subsequently, in step S4, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the map of the screen number 0-01 of LEVEL0 is displayed, and in step S5, as shown in FIGS. LEVEL in 1
Image numbers 1-01, 2-01, which are images of 1, 2, and 3,
The map of 3-01 is displayed. Further, in step S6, as shown in FIG. The map of image number 4-01 which is the screen of LEVEL 4 in 1 is displayed.

Thus, by displaying these maps of successively larger scales in an enlarged manner, it is possible to easily understand which region in Japan the portion shown in FIG. 9E indicates. That is, when the map shown in FIG. 9E is suddenly displayed, it is difficult to instantly understand which region of Japan this is, but from FIG. 9A to FIG. The sequentially enlarged display makes it easy to understand the map when it is enlarged to the maximum.

Then, step S7 following step S6
Then, the dot corresponding to the current latitude and longitude is calculated on the displayed level 4 screen. That is, based on the latitude and longitude data of the point P at the upper left end of the displayed level 4 screen, 31
The latitude / longitude of each of the 32 dots is calculated, and among the calculated dots, the dot corresponding to the latitude / longitude of the current position fetched in step S1 is detected. Thereafter, the calculated dot blinks (step S).
8).

By the processing in step S8, FIG.
As illustrated in (e), a blinking dot D indicates the current position. At this time, since the understanding of the maximally enlarged map of FIG. 9E has already been made as described above, the position of the blinking dot D in the map and the dot D Can be quickly and clearly recognized.

In each embodiment, LEVEL is used.
Although the enlarged display is performed in five stages from L0 to LEVEL4, the enlarged display may be performed in a plurality of stages. Also,
The scale and area of the map in each LEVEL are not limited to those described in the embodiment, and a detailed map with a larger scale may be displayed.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, the current position is acquired and the map including the acquired current position is sequentially enlarged and displayed, so that the user can change the map from the small-scale map to the large-scale map. By visually recognizing, it is possible to easily understand the area indicated by the map when viewing the map that has been enlarged to the maximum. As a result, the current position can be easily and promptly recognized even in the case of a map displayed in a small area without any complicated work in relation to the map that has been enlarged to the maximum.

Further, since the current position is further displayed on the displayed largest enlarged map, the user can understand the map displayed by visually recognizing the sequentially enlarged map, and finally further understand the map. By displaying the current position, it is possible to instantaneously grasp the geographical position of the current position.

In addition to storing a plurality of map data having different scales, a plurality of enlarged patterns indicating the reading order are stored, and an enlarged pattern constituted by the map data to which the current position belongs is selected. Since the map is enlarged and displayed, the map including the current position can be sequentially enlarged and displayed at low cost by simple control and processing without requiring complicated image processing.

While the latitude and longitude information of the current position is obtained, the latitude and longitude information of a predetermined position in the map data is stored, and the longitude and latitude information of the predetermined position in the map data and the latitude and longitude of the obtained current position are stored. Based on the information
The present position on the map displayed on the display means is calculated and displayed. Therefore, it is not necessary to store a large number of latitude / longitude information corresponding to each point in the map data, and if only one point of latitude / longitude information is stored, the current position can be calculated. The current position can be calculated with the storage capacity.

Further, since the dot corresponding to the current position on the map displayed on the display means is calculated and the calculated dot is blinked, the current position can be calculated with a small amount of storage information and storage capacity. Not only is it possible, but also the current position can be accurately and clearly displayed on the map on the scale from the dot.

[0036]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a GPS device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the size of image data and image data of LEVEL0.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing image data of LEVEL1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing image data of LEVEL2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing image data of LEVEL3.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing image data of LEVEL4.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of an enlarged pattern.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a display transition diagram of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 GPS module 4 CPU 5 Storage device 9 Map storage unit 12 Monitor 14 Recording medium

Claims (9)

[Claims] A display unit having a predetermined display area; a current position obtaining unit for obtaining a current position; and a map including the current position obtained by the current position obtaining unit is sequentially enlarged and displayed on the display unit. A map display device comprising control means. 2. The map according to claim 1, wherein said control means further displays the current position acquired by said current position acquisition means on the largest enlarged map displayed on said display means. Display device. 3. Map data storage means for storing a plurality of map data of different scales, readout for reading out the map data stored in the map data storage means and enlarging and displaying the map on the display means. Pattern storage means for storing a plurality of enlarged patterns indicating an order, wherein the control means selects an enlarged pattern composed of map data to which the current position acquired by the current position acquisition means belongs from the pattern storage means. 2. The map display device according to claim 1, wherein the map data indicated by the selected enlarged pattern is sequentially read from the map data storage means, and the map is enlarged and displayed on the display means. 4. The current position obtaining means obtains latitude / longitude information of a current position, and map data for displaying a map on the display means;
Storage means for storing latitude / longitude information of a predetermined position in the map data, wherein the control means includes longitude / latitude information of the predetermined position in the map data and latitude of a current position acquired by the current position acquisition means. 3. The map display device according to claim 2, wherein a current position on a map displayed on the display means is calculated based on the longitude information, and the calculated current position is displayed. 5. The map display according to claim 4, wherein said control means calculates a dot corresponding to a current position on a map displayed on said display means, and causes the calculated dot to blink. apparatus. 6. A current position acquiring process for acquiring a current position, and a control process for sequentially enlarging and displaying a map including the current position acquired by the current position acquiring process on a display means. Map display method. 7. The map according to claim 6, wherein in the control processing, the current position acquired by the current position acquisition processing is further displayed on the largest enlarged map displayed on the display means. Display method. 8. A program for causing a computer to function as current position acquisition means for acquiring a current position, and control means for sequentially enlarging and displaying a map including the current position acquired by the current position acquisition means on a display means. A program recording medium characterized by being recorded. 9. The control device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit further displays the current position acquired by the current position acquisition unit on a maximum enlarged map displayed on the display unit. The program recording medium according to the above.