Navigation Map Contrast Adjustment for Congested Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Navigation systems struggle to make important information, such as the current vehicle position and road networks, visible in congested areas due to overwhelming map elements, and minor streets are often obscured in less congested areas, leading to driver distraction and difficulty in identifying locations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that adjust the contrast of map representations, like building images and POI icons, against the background based on the number of elements displayed, reducing contrast in congested areas and increasing it in less congested areas to enhance visibility of minor streets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the number of map representations (buildings, POI icons, traffic icons) is increased to provide comprehensive navigation information, then the completeness of navigation information is improved, but the visibility of important information (current vehicle position, road networks) deteriorates due to overwhelming map elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting the contrast of different map elements based on their importance and the local density of representations. Important elements like current vehicle position and road networks maintain higher contrast, while less critical elements in congested areas have reduced contrast, creating spatially varying visual properties that resolve the contradiction between information completeness and visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the contrast parameter of map representations dynamically based on the number of representations displayed. When the number of map elements exceeds a threshold, the system adjusts contrast parameters to reduce visual overwhelm, thereby maintaining visibility of critical information while preserving comprehensive navigation data.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the contrast of map representations is increased to enhance visibility of map elements, then the visibility of map elements is improved, but minor streets become obscured in less congested areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing different contrast adjustment strategies for different areas. In less congested areas where minor streets need to be visible, the system maintains or increases contrast for these elements, while in congested areas it applies different contrast levels. This spatially differentiated approach ensures minor streets remain visible without compromising overall map element visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic contrast adjustment that adapts to the local density of map representations. The contrast of minor streets and other map elements is adjusted dynamically based on the surrounding environment, allowing the system to optimize visibility in both congested and open areas rather than using a fixed contrast level.
3Loss of information
If multiple classes of roads are displayed with different widths and colors to distinguish road functions, then the information richness of the map is improved, but the complexity of the display increases making it harder to identify important information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting the display properties of road representations based on the local context and importance. Major roads and current route segments maintain full visual distinction with different widths and colors, while less critical roads in congested areas have reduced visual prominence, simplifying the overall display complexity while preserving essential navigation information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by selectively maintaining full visual distinction for only the most critical road elements while reducing differentiation for less important roads. This partial application of road classification visualization reduces display complexity while preserving sufficient information richness for safe navigation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus of valuing contrast of representation on background displayed on a screen of a navigation apparatus, by counting a number of the presentations on the background of the screen, adjusting contrast of the representations against the background displayed on the screen in response to the number of the representation on the background, and displaying the representations on the screen based on the adjusted contrast of the representation. The contrast of the representations against the background is set lower than original contrast against the background when the number of the representations is equal to or more than a predetermined number. The contrast of the representations is set higher than current contrast when the number of the representations on the screen is less than a predetermined number.