Relevancy-graded Navigation Map Visual Complexity Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In-vehicle navigation systems overwhelm drivers with excessive information, increasing cognitive load and diverting attention from the road due to the inclusion of less pertinent data on the navigation map.

Innovation Solution

A system that employs a road relevancy mapping module to determine and display a relevancy-graded navigation map by assigning and modifying graphic data for map elements based on their relevance, using a location determination module, relevancy parameter determination module, and graphical user interface to prioritize essential information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all map elements are displayed with equal detail, then complete information is provided, but cognitive load increases and driver attention is diverted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidcognitive load
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the display characteristics of map elements based on their relevancy to the driver's current context. High-relevancy elements (such as upcoming turns, current road, nearby points of interest) are displayed with full detail and visual prominence, while low-relevancy elements are displayed with reduced detail or omitted entirely. This selective differentiation maintains information completeness for critical elements while reducing overall cognitive load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes display parameters (such as color intensity, size, opacity, or level of detail) of map elements based on their calculated relevancy scores. These parameter adjustments allow the system to emphasize important navigation information while de-emphasizing less critical data, thereby reducing the perceived complexity without losing essential information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If detailed map information is provided, then navigation accuracy is improved, but driver distraction increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation accuracyVSAvoiddriver distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating relevancy scores for all map elements before display, based on the driver's current location, destination, route, and contextual factors. This advance preparation allows the system to organize and prioritize information in advance, presenting only the most relevant details at each moment, thereby maintaining navigation accuracy while minimizing distracting elements that would require the driver's attention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If comprehensive road data is displayed, then route information is complete, but visual complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute information completenessVSAvoidvisual complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and displays only the essential route information that is relevant to the driver's current navigation needs. By selectively removing unnecessary map elements and details from the comprehensive road data, the system maintains complete route information for navigation purposes while presenting a visually simplified map that reduces complexity and improves readability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3254061B1System and methodologies for visual relevancy-grading of a navigation map
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3254061B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3254061B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3254061B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An in-vehicle system and method for presenting a relevancy-graded navigation map to a driver of a vehicle. The relevancy-graded navigation deemphasizes map elements that are not relevant to driving the vehicle. The relevancy-graded navigation map allows the driver to focus more on controlling the vehicle by reducing the amount of time it takes to interpret a navigation map.