On-vehicle Map Display Abbreviating Road Shapes for Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation devices face difficulties in displaying congestion information for each road on a map at small scales, leading to a complicated and hard-to-understand display due to narrow gaps between roads.
Innovation Solution
An on-vehicle map display apparatus that generates a summary map by abbreviating road shapes when the map scale is set below a predetermined scale, allowing congestion information to be superimposed on the summary map, making it easier to understand even at small scales.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If congestion information is displayed on a map at a small scale, then the map can show a wide area, but the display becomes complicated and difficult to understand due to narrow gaps between roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the map display into two distinct layers: a background layer showing the map at a reduced scale for wide area coverage, and a foreground layer showing detailed congestion information for specific roads. This segmentation allows the background to provide broad context while the foreground delivers detailed information without the two competing for the same visual space, thereby maintaining both wide area coverage and ease of understanding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional flat map display to a three-dimensional layered display by superimposing detailed congestion information layers over the reduced-scale background map. This dimensional change allows detailed road-level congestion data to be displayed without increasing the overall map scale, as the detailed information is placed in a separate visual dimension (foreground layer) rather than competing for the same two-dimensional space.
2Area of stationary object
If the map scale is reduced to show a wider area, then more regions can be displayed, but the gaps between roads become narrow making the display complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into a simplified background layer that maintains wide area coverage with appropriate spacing, and a detailed foreground layer that provides congestion information only where needed. This segmentation prevents the display from becoming complicated by separating the functions of map overview (background) from congestion detail display (foreground), allowing each layer to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the congestion information display function from the main map display and places it in a separate foreground layer. By taking out the detailed congestion information from the general map rendering process, the system can maintain a simple, clear background map while adding detailed information only where necessary, thus reducing overall display complexity despite the additional information being presented.
3Measurement precision
If detailed congestion information is displayed for each road, then road-level precision is achieved, but the display becomes hard to understand at small scales
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the information display by separating detailed congestion information into a distinct foreground layer that overlays the reduced-scale background map. This segmentation allows road-level precision to be maintained in the foreground layer while the background layer provides contextual understanding, enabling users to comprehend the overall situation without being overwhelmed by detailed information at small scales.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a layered dimensional structure where detailed congestion information is displayed in the foreground dimension over a simplified background map. This dimensional separation allows high precision road-level congestion data to be presented without compromising ease of understanding, as the detailed information is placed in a visual dimension that does not interfere with the overall map context provided by the background layer.
Data Source
AI summary
This on-vehicle map display apparatus comprises a map scale setting unit that sets a map scale, a summary map generation unit that generates a summary map by abbreviating road shapes if a map scale that is less than a predetermined scale is set by the map scale setting unit, a summary map display control unit that displays the summary map generated by the summary map generation unit upon a display monitor, a congestion information acquisition unit that acquires congestion information, and a congestion information display control unit that displays the congestion information acquired by the congestion information acquisition unit as superimposed upon the summary map displayed upon the display monitor by the summary map display control unit.