Road Segment Display Using Shape Variation Parameters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current navigation systems struggle to display road segments with varying shapes and additional details, such as turning areas, efficiently, as they often require excessive storage space and simplify road shapes, which can be inadequate for providing accurate information to drivers, especially at road ends.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize a map data base with road vector data format, where road segments are represented by vectors, and additional parameter values are used to determine variations in shape along the direction vector, allowing for a more detailed graphical representation of road segments, including turning areas, without significantly increasing storage requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If road segments are segmented into multiple straight segments to represent turning areas, then the shape accuracy is improved, but the storage space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad segment shape accuracyVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a parameter value associated with each road segment that indicates the presence and type of turning area. By changing the data structure to include this parameter, the system can represent complex road shapes without increasing the number of road segments, thus improving shape accuracy while maintaining moderate storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified representation of turning areas using parameter values that reference pre-defined turning area types. Instead of storing detailed geometric information for each turning area, the system uses parameter codes that can be interpreted to generate the appropriate shape, reducing storage space while maintaining visual accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Loss of information

If additional information on road boundaries and turning areas is provided, then the information completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad boundary information completenessVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enhances the data structure by adding parameter values to existing road segment records. This parameter-based approach allows the system to store additional information about turning areas and road boundaries without creating separate complex data structures, thus improving information completeness while minimizing increases in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2455714B1Method and device for displaying road segments
Publication Date: 2019.01.23 HARMAN BECKER AUTOMOTIVE SYST GMBH
  • EP2455714B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2455714B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3E
  • EP2455714B1 patent drawingFigure 3F~3J

AI summary

A method and device for displaying road segments are provided. The method uses a map data base storing information on a road network in a road vector data format. Additional parameter values are stored for a subset of road segments. Information on a direction vector (68) and the parameter value for a road segment are retrieved. Based on the parameter value, it is determined whether the road segment (69) exhibits a variation in shape (70) as a function of position along its direction vector. A graphical representation of the road segment (69) is generated based on the retrieved parameter value and the direction vector (68).