JPH11338456A - Map display system and image scroll processing method in it - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable smooth scroll processing without consuming the memory capacity wastefully by drawing and processing a map information of a display range moved for every occurrence of a movement event in a first and a second image areas alternately. SOLUTION: In scroll processing, when a movement event occurs, a CPU 111 draws a map information corresponding to the screen display range after the movement due to a movement event in the other image area. In drawing and processing in one image area, concerning data corresponding to an overlap part of the screen display range before movement and the screen display range after movement, read processing from a storage part 112 and the drawing and processing are not conducted, but the map image to the screen display range before movement already drawn in the other image area is utilized. Thus, every time the movement event for moving the display range occurs, the map image of the display range moved corresponding to the movement event are drawn and processed in a first image area and a second image area alternately.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a map display system for reading map data stored in a map database and displaying a map image, and more particularly, to a method for scrolling a displayed map image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A map display system reads map data in a predetermined display range from map data stored in a predetermined storage unit and displays the map data on a predetermined display device as a map image.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a map display system. According to FIG. 6, the map display system includes a map database 1 storing map data, a display control unit 2 for controlling display of map data, a display unit 3 for displaying map data as a map image, and an operator. And an operation unit 4 for inputting an instruction from the user.

[0004] Such a map display system includes, for example,
It is realized by a personal computer. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a personal computer. FIG. 7A is an external view of the personal computer 10, and FIG. 7B is a block diagram of the personal computer 10.

In FIG. 7A, a personal computer 10 includes, for example, a computer main body 11, a keyboard 12, a mouse 13, and a monitor 14. The keyboard 12 and the mouse 13 correspond to the operation unit 4 in FIG. The monitor 14 corresponds to the display unit 3 in FIG.

[0006] In FIG.
1 is a CPU 111 that is an arithmetic unit, a storage unit 112,
Memory (RAM) 113 and video memory (VRAM)
114. The storage unit 112 is a storage device called a hard disk, and stores map data corresponding to the map database 1 of FIG. The storage unit 112 also stores a computer program for executing display control of map data. The map database 1 may be provided as a recording medium such as an optical disk such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, or a magneto-optical disk.

Then, the CPU 111 executes display control of map data according to the computer program. Therefore, the CPU 111 and the computer program stored in the storage unit 112 correspond to the display control unit 2 in FIG.

The memory 113 is an area in which map data read from the storage unit 112 is temporarily stored, and the CPU 111 accesses the memory 113 faster than the storage unit 112. Is possible. Further, the video memory 114 is an area where an image for one screen of the monitor 14 is stored.

FIG. 8 shows a monitor 14 on which a map image is displayed.
It is an example of the screen of FIG. The screen 140 of FIG. 8 includes a GUI (Graphical U
The serInterface) display function displays various operation menus in addition to the map image. And the map image 141
Is displayed, the operator clicks the arrow button 142, which is one of the operation menus, in a desired direction with the mouse 13 to execute the scroll processing of the map image. The scroll process is to continuously move and display a map image. Specifically, the arrow button 14
When 2 is clicked, a plurality of continuous movement events having direction information and distance information occur. In response to this movement event, the map image is displayed while moving little by little.

[0010] By the scroll processing, the operator can view the map as one sheet. Therefore,
The scrolling process eliminates the need to turn pages and search the map while considering continuity like a conventional atlas,
There is an advantage that the map can be easily and smoothly traced.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a screen display range when scroll processing is performed. In FIG. 9, the map data range is, for example, the whole of Hokkaido. And the movement event is a predetermined time (for example, 0.1 seconds)
Every time an interval occurs, the map image displayed on the monitor 14 is displayed while continuously moving to a screen display range,.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a conventional scroll process. For example, a case of scrolling from the screen display range in FIG. 9 will be described as an example.

In step S1, when a movement event occurs, for example, when the operator clicks the arrow button 142, the CPU 111 proceeds to step S2.
Acquires information on the moving direction and the moving distance of the screen display range. Further, in step S3, the CPU 111
The map data necessary to display the map image in the moved screen display range is read from the storage unit 112. Then, in step S4, the CPU 111 performs a drawing process on the read map data, and in step S5, draws the map data in the image area on the memory 113 as a map image. The image area is a virtual area on the memory 113 in which map data is drawn according to a computer program and drawn as a map image. Further, step S
At 6, the map image drawn in the image area is transferred to the video memory 114 and displayed on the monitor 14 therefrom.

[0014]

However, the above-described conventional scroll processing has the following problems. That is, when the scroll processing is performed, it takes time to read the unit map data corresponding to the screen display range after the movement from the storage unit 112 and to draw the map image in the image area on the memory 113. However, there is a problem that smooth scrolling cannot be realized.

In this case, by reading all the map data (all unit map data) stored in the storage unit 112 into the memory 113 in advance, the time required for reading the unit map data in the screen display range can be reduced. Is possible, and some smooth scrolling can be realized. However, realizing this requires a huge amount of memory, which is inefficient. Furthermore, since the time required for the drawing process is not shortened, there is a limit in improving the speed of the scroll process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a map display system and a scroll processing method for executing a smooth scroll process without wasting memory capacity.

[0017]

To achieve the above object, a map display system according to the present invention comprises: a storage unit for storing map data; and an arithmetic unit for reading map data in a predetermined display range from the storage unit and performing drawing processing. A memory having a first image area and a second image area in which a map image that has been rendered is rendered as data for one screen, and a display unit that displays the map image rendered in the image area. Have
The arithmetic unit alternately draws a map image of the display range that moves in response to the movement event in the first image area and the second image area each time a movement event that moves the display area occurs. It is characterized by the following.

As described above, in the present configuration, the first image area and the second image area are provided in the memory. This makes it possible to alternately draw the map image of the moving display range in both image areas for successive moving events, thereby providing a map display system capable of smooth and high-speed scroll processing. it can.

Further, the map display system according to the present invention, when the movement event occurs while the first map image drawn in the first image area is displayed on the display unit,
The calculation unit copies, in the first map image, the first partial image included in the display range after the movement corresponding to the movement event to the second image area, and among the second image areas,
The map data corresponding to the area where the first partial image is not copied is read out from the storage unit, drawn as the second partial image in the second image area, and the second partial image including the first partial image and the second partial image is drawn. Is displayed on the display unit.

This eliminates the need to read the map data corresponding to the overlapping partial images from the storage unit and render the map data, so that the time for the read processing and the rendering processing is greatly reduced, and the speed of the scroll processing is reduced. Is improved. Therefore, smooth scrolling of the map image is realized without consuming a huge memory capacity.

At this time, when the first partial image is copied to the second image area, the first partial image is superimposed on the first map image at the position in the display range after the movement, and Is preferably displayed.

Further, a scroll processing method for achieving the above object reads out map data in a predetermined display range from a predetermined storage unit and performs a drawing process, and renders the drawn map data as a map image on a predetermined display device. In the image scroll processing method in the map display system to display,
In a memory for storing the read map data, a first image area and a second image area for storing data for one screen of the map image are set, and the first image area drawn in the first image area is set. When at least one movement event occurs while the map image is being displayed on the display unit, the first partial image included in the display range to be moved in response to the movement event is included in the first map image. The second image area is copied, and the map data corresponding to the area where the first partial image is not copied in the second image area is read out from the storage unit, and the map data is used as the second partial image. A scroll processing method for a map display system, comprising drawing on a region and displaying a second map image including a first partial image and a second partial image on the display unit.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

A map display system according to an embodiment of the present invention employs the map display system shown in FIG.
Further, it is realized by the personal computer shown in FIG.

In the embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
Two image areas are provided in the memory 113 shown in FIG. As described above, the image area is a virtual area on the memory 113 in which the map data is drawn according to the computer program and drawn as a map image.

In a state where the map is statically displayed, the map image drawn in one image area is displayed on the monitor, and the other image area is blank.

In the scroll processing according to the embodiment of the present invention, when a movement event occurs, the CPU 111
Draws a map image corresponding to the screen display range after the movement by the movement event in the other image area. At this time, when performing the drawing process on one image area, the map data corresponding to the overlapping portion of the screen table range before the movement and the screen display range after the movement are read from the storage unit 112 and the drawing process. , The map image for the screen display range before the movement, which is already drawn in the other image area, is used.

Normally, the distance moved by one movement event is small (approximately 1/10 to 1/5 of the screen display range). Therefore, as shown in FIG. Many parts of the subsequent screen display range overlap. Therefore, by copying the overlapping portion of the map image already drawn in one image region to the other image region, the time for the process of reading the map data of the overlapping portion from the storage unit 112 again is reduced. When,
It is possible to reduce the time required for the drawing process.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a scroll process according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing two image areas and a screen of the monitor 14 before scroll processing is executed in the embodiment of the present invention described below. FIG. 2A shows a first image area, and FIG. 2B shows a second image area. FIG. 2C shows the screen of the monitor 14.

As shown, the map image drawn in the image area is displayed on the screen of the monitor 14. At this time, the image area shown in FIG. 2B is in a blank state where no map image is drawn.

In such a state, scroll processing according to the embodiment of the present invention for a plurality of continuous movement events will be described below.

First, in step S11 of FIG. 1, when one movement event occurs due to the operator clicking the arrow button 142 or the like, in step S12, the CPU 111 sends an operation command via the GUI display function to the screen display range. The information of the moving direction and the moving distance of is acquired.

Next, in step S13, the CPU 1
In a map image 11 in the image area, an area of a partial image included in the screen display range moved by one movement event is obtained by calculation, and is copied to the image area. At this time, the copied map image is copied at a position shifted in the moving direction by a moving distance due to one moving event in the image area.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining step S13 and step S14 described below. FIG.
(A) is a figure which shows an image area. For example, when the moving direction is the lower right direction, the partial image A of the map image surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. FIG. 3B shows an image area.
The partial image A is copied to a region b of the image region shifted by a moving distance in the upper left direction opposite to the lower right direction.

Further, in step S14, the partial image A is also copied on the screen of the monitor 14. FIG. 3 (c)
Is a view showing a screen of the monitor 14, wherein the partial image A is displayed on the screen of FIG. 1C at a display position in the screen display range after the movement, that is, a position shifted in the upper left direction. Is done. The CPU 111 copies the partial image A to the image area and also copies the partial image A to the area corresponding to the display position of the video memory 114, so that the partial image A can be moved and displayed. By moving the partial image A, the operator can obtain a feeling as if the screen were scrolled.

Further, in step S15, the map data corresponding to the area c other than the area b in which the partial image A is copied out of the image area is read. here,
The map data is stored in the storage unit 112 as a set of unit map data subdivided (meshed) into predetermined range units.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining meshed unit map data. According to FIG. 5, each unit map data is assigned a mesh number. When the map data corresponding to the screen display range is read, the mesh number of the unit map data including the screen display range is calculated, and the unit map data of the mesh number is read.

For example, in FIG. 5A, a unit map data group G is read as the map data of the screen display range P. Then, in FIG. 5B, when moving from the screen display range P to the screen display range Q by scroll processing, the screen display range Q requires the unit map data group H of. However, since the unit map data of the mesh numbers 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, and 24 are already read out on the memory 113 as shown in FIG. The unit map data of the mesh numbers 02, 03, 04, 05, 15, 25 is read. As a result, the time for the reading process can be reduced.

As described above, in step S15, FIG.
The mesh number of the unit map data including the area c in (b) is calculated, and the unit map data corresponding to the obtained mesh number is read.

Then, in step S16, the read unit map data is subjected to a drawing process.
In, the drawing-processed map image is drawn in the area c of the image area.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining step S17 and step S18 described below. FIG.
(B) is a diagram showing an image area, and a map image is drawn in an area c in step S17.

At this time, the read unit map data may include map data of the area b in which the partial image A has already been copied. Even in such a case,
Drawing processing is performed in units of unit map data, and a portion of the map image obtained by the drawing processing that overlaps with the partial image A is overwritten. Add unit map data to area b
May be divided into the area c and the area c, and only the map data corresponding to the area c may be drawn. However, the drawing processing speed is usually faster when the overlapping part is overwritten.
This is because, since the data amount of one unit map data is not so large, it does not take much time to draw all the unit map data. Rather, the unit map data is stored in the area b and the area c. This is because the dividing process requires time.

The read unit map data may exceed the image display range in some cases. In such a case, a portion exceeding the image display range is removed in advance by a so-called clipping process.

Then, in step S18, the map image drawn in the image area is transferred to the screen of the monitor 14 and displayed. Thus, the scroll processing corresponding to one movement event ends. FIG. 4 (c)
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a screen of the monitor 14, wherein the map image of the image area transferred in step S <b> 18 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 14.

FIG. 4A is a view showing an image area, and becomes blank after a map image is drawn in the image area.

Then, for the next movement event, the processing of steps S11 to S16 is executed for the image area. As described above, the two image areas are alternately used for a plurality of continuous movement events generated in the scroll processing, and the above-described step S11 is performed.
To S18 are repeated.

As described above, in the scroll processing in the embodiment of the present invention, two image areas are provided in the memory 113. Then, when the map image after the movement by one movement event is drawn in one image area, a partial image that overlaps with the map image already drawn in the other image area in the map image after the movement is Copied to one image area. Then, only the map data corresponding to the non-copied area of the one image area is read from the storage unit 112. Therefore, it is not necessary to read out the map data corresponding to the overlapping partial images from the storage unit 112 and perform the drawing processing, so that the time for the reading processing and the drawing processing is greatly reduced, and the speed of the scroll processing is improved. Therefore, smooth scrolling of the map image is realized on the screen.

In FIG. 5A, when the unit map data group G corresponding to the screen display range P is read, or
In another processing step (process), the unit map data group F outside the unit map data group G may be read in advance. Then, even when the display unit moves to the screen display range Q, since the unit map data group H corresponding to the screen display range Q has already been read out on the memory 113,
There is no need to perform further read processing. As a result, a higher-speed scroll process can be performed.

The map display system according to the embodiment of the present invention is, for example, a map information system (Geografic).
Information Systems: GIS). The map information system has a user database that stores user data such as demographic data and customer data in addition to the map database, and integrates the map data with the user data to use it on map images. Is a system for displaying user data.

The user data is associated with the terrain, road, building position data or address data contained in the map data. Then, the map information system can display the user data on the map image as it is or as total data by associating the map data with the user data according to the address and the position. The user data is displayed on the map image by various expression means such as a graph and color coding. By displaying the user data on the map image, it is possible to realize display of value-added data that cannot be obtained by simply enumerating data. By displaying the customer data and the like on the map data using the map information system, the data can be used for, for example, formulation and development of a management strategy, for example, as a judgment material for opening a store.

Further, the map display system according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to a stand-alone type system such as a personal computer. For example, the map display system may be a client / server type system in which a plurality of terminals are connected to one server via a communication line, and the terminals obtain map data from the server. Further, for example, map data can be displayed using the Internet, and further, a computer program for map display can be downloaded to perform map display.
A so-called web-based map display system may be used.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In a map display system, two image areas are provided on a memory that is read from a map database and temporarily stores map data. Then, when drawing the map image after the movement by one movement event in one image area, a partial image that overlaps with the map image already drawn in the other image area in the moved map image is Copied to one image area. Then, only the map data corresponding to the non-copied area of the one image area is read from the map database. Therefore, since it is not necessary to read map data corresponding to the overlapping partial images from the map database and perform the drawing processing, the time for the reading processing and the drawing processing is greatly reduced, and the speed of the scroll processing is improved. Thereby, smooth scrolling of the map image is realized without consuming a huge memory capacity.

Further, when the overlapping partial image is copied to the other image area, it is copied and displayed on the monitor at the moved position. Therefore, before the map image in the other image area is drawn and displayed, the operator is given a feeling that the map image has moved, so that smoother scrolling is realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a scroll process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an image area and a screen of a monitor before a scroll process is executed in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining steps S12 and S13 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining steps S15 and S16 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining meshed unit map data.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a map display system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a personal computer.

FIG. 8 is an example of a screen of the monitor 14 on which a map image is displayed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a screen display range when scroll processing is performed.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a conventional scroll process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Map database 2 Display control part 3 Display part 4 Operation part 11 Computer main body 12 Keyboard 13 Mouse 14 Monitor 111 CPU 112 Storage part 113 Memory (RAM) 114 Video memory (VRAM)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI G09G 5/34 G06F 15/62 335

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing map data, a calculation unit for reading map data in a predetermined display range from the storage unit, and performing a drawing process, and the drawn map image is drawn as data for one screen. A memory having a first image area and a second image area; and a display unit for displaying a map image drawn in the image area. The arithmetic unit generates a movement event for moving a display range. Each time a map image of a display range to be moved in response to the movement event is alternately drawn in the first image area and the second image area. Map display system. 2. The arithmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein, when the movement event occurs while the first map image drawn in the first image area is displayed on the display unit, In the first map image, the first partial image included in the display range after the movement corresponding to the movement event is copied to the second image area. The map data corresponding to the area where the partial image is not copied is read from the storage unit, drawn as the second partial image in the second image area, and is composed of the first partial image and the second partial image. A map display system for displaying a second map image on the display unit. 3. The first map image according to claim 2, wherein the first partial image is copied on the second image area at a position in the display range after the movement, and A map display system, wherein the map display system is displayed on the display unit while being superimposed on the map. 4. An image scroll processing method in a map display system for reading map data in a predetermined display range from a predetermined storage unit and performing drawing processing, and displaying the drawn map data on a predetermined display device as a map image. A first image area and a second image area for storing data for one screen of a map image are set in a memory for storing the read map data, and the first image area drawn in the first image area is set. When at least one movement event occurs while the map image of the first map image is being displayed on the display unit, the first map image included in the display range of the first map image included in the movement range corresponding to the movement event. Copying the partial image to the second image area, reading map data corresponding to an area of the second image area where the first partial image is not copied from the storage unit. And drawing the map data as a second partial image in the second image area, and displaying a second map image composed of the first partial image and the second partial image on the display unit. A scroll processing method for a map display system. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein when copying the first partial image to the second image area, the first partial image is further copied at a position in the display range after the movement. A scroll processing method in a map display system, wherein the display is performed on the display unit so as to be superimposed on the first map image.