Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Sushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Hiroyuki Hamada

Kiyomi Sakamoto

Atsushi Yamashita

Teruaki Ata

Yoshiki Ueyama

Yuji Hamada

Takeshi Yagyu

Keiichi Takahashi

Isao Ogawa

A mobile terminaldetects its position, speed, and direction, and judges a control requirement based on the detected position, speed, and direction. Based on the judgment, the mobile terminaltransmits a message corresponding to the control requirement that has been satisfied to a control terminal. The control terminaljudges a message requirement based on the received message. Based on the judgment, the control terminaltransmits a control command corresponding to the message requirement that has been satisfied to a control target appliance. The control target applianceexecutes an operation by following the received command.

Mobile terminal, and automatic remote control system and automatic remote control method

A map displaying apparatus for improving the visual recognition of an object displayed as a 3D image. A map data acquisition section acquires map data to be displayed for navigation purposes. A displayed state estimation section receives the map data acquired by the map data acquisition section, and estimates a displayed state of the displayed object based on the map data. A display mode determination section determines whether the displayed state as estimated by the displayed state estimation section satisfies a predetermined criterion or not, thereby determining whether to modify a default display mode. When determining that a modification is to be applied, the display mode determination section modifies the default display mode to determine an actual display mode. In accordance with the determined display mode of each displayed object, the displayed image generation section generates image data for displaying a 3D map from the acquired map data.

Apparatus and method for displaying map

The present landmark update system enables route guidance through the use of landmark information which remains always the latest for route guidance, and operates as follows: a navigation device communicates with a landmark server so as to receive to-be-updated landmark information for guiding the user by utilizing landmarks. Information about any landmark displayed is transferred to the landmark server as cumulative information . The landmark server manages the cumulative information so that compilation data is generated for transfer to a retailer terminal corresponding to the displayed landmark(s). The retailer terminal refers to the compilation data so as to generate landmark information which is considered optimum, and transfers it to the landmark server as registering landmark information

Landmark update system and navigation device

Based on searched route information and map data, a target intersection for guidance is specified. For the specified target intersection, lane data regarding the number of lanes and lane control of roads being connected thereto is read, and then recommended lane information which indicates which lane to take when entering the target intersection and to exit therefrom is generated. Based on information about the target intersection and the lane data, a simplified intersection image of the target intersection for lane guidance is generated. Based on the recommended lane information, a running path which passes through the recommended lanes for entering into and exiting from the target intersection is generated, and is combined with the intersection image. Then, lane guidance information for displaying the resultant intersection image is outputted with a predetermined timing. As such, guidance can be visually made on a screen indicating which lanes to take to enter into and exit from the intersection.

Lane guidance display method, and navigation device and recording medium for realizing the method

There is provided a navigation apparatus which displays information concerning facilities or the like which are present in a broad range ahead of a user. An information processing section of a navigation apparatus identifies a facility type to be displayed. Next, a predicted road along which a user is expected to travel is determined, and a reference intersection is selected from among the intersections on the predicted road. The information processing section computes a network of roads beginning from the selected reference intersection, and acquires facility information in the neighborhood thereof. Furthermore, the information processing section generates facility information image data for displaying the acquired facility information on a map.

Navigation apparatus

In a navigation device (Unv), a processor reads directional object data (Ddr) from a storage onto a working area . The directional object data (Ddr) has a message plane and a plain plane, thereby representing a directional object whose planes are each facing in a different direction. Based on the positional relationship between the user's current position and the directional object, the processor determines whether to render the message plane or the plain plane of the directional object. In the case of the message plane, the processor renders it opaque. On the other hand, the processor renders the plain plane transparent or translucent. In this manner, the resulting display image data generated by the navigation device (Unv) can represent maps meeting the user's demands and needs

Rendering device and method

In a navigation apparatus, a CPU searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. These routes share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in their course along the way. Then for route selection, the CPU refers to position information provided by a locator to determine on which of the routes the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several derived through the route search.

In a navigation apparatus Anavil, a CPU searches for a plurality of routes from a starting point to a destination. Those route share the same starting point and the destination, but vary in course on the way. Then for route selection, the CPU refers to position information provided by a locator to determine which route the user is now moving. In this manner, the navigation apparatus can automatically select one route from several others derived through route search.

A map information storage stores map information including roads, landmarks, and areas. An overlap determination unit determines whether a landmark and an area overlap with a road in consideration of a road and its width. A position changer moves the overlapping landmark and area to positions where they do not overlap with the road on width display. A changed map information storage stores map information including changed positional information of the landmarks and the areas. If the changed map information is displayed on a screen, the landmarks and the areas are displayed so as not to overlap with roads on width display.

Device and method for changing map information

In order to implement a navigation device in which landmarks are much less monotonous, and the applicability thereof is wider, the navigation device of the present invention operates as follows. A landmark is displayed in either normal display (still) and emphatic display (animated) by referring to landmark information. Specifically, referring to for normal display is shape information and positional information in the landmark information, and for emphatic display, an emphatic display execution file therein is referred to. For emphatic display, a group of instruction described in the emphatic display execution file are interpreted and executed so that the landmark is animated.

Navigation device

On receipt of route information, map data in an area near the route is read. One intersection existing on the route is extracted from the read map data, and intersection-connected links connected to the intersection are extracted. The road widths from the center line to the right and left sides are specified for the intersection-connected links based on attribute data such as the actual road width of the intersection-connected links. New lines are drawn for all the intersection-connected links by translating the line representing the intersection-connected link as the center line rightward and leftward by the specified road widths, to determine right and left side lines of the intersection-connected link. Based on the thus-generated width-imparted intersection-connected links, an intersection shape is generated. This processing is repeated for all the intersections concerned.

Intersection display method, and map display unit and recording medium for realizing the method

A navigation device at least includes a CPU and a detector generating a detection signal for determining whether a main device is used inside a vehicle or not. If determining, based on the detection signal from the detector, that the main device is used inside the vehicle, the CPU operates in on-vehicle mode to carry out first navigation (present position estimation and route search) suitable for use in the vehicle. Otherwise, the CPU operates in off-vehicle mode to carry out second navigation (present position estimation and route search) suitable for use outside of the vehicle. Thus, the navigation device can automatically switch its operation mode between on-vehicle mode and off-vehicle mode.

Stored data denotes a plurality of objects each composed of a pair of a data part containing presentation information of at least one of text, graphics, image, video and sound and a processing procedure part containing a procedure for processing the presentation information in the data part. Spatial allocation and moving statuses of the plurality of objects are controlled and a status change is detected in which one arbitrary object and another arbitrary object come to a predetermined specific relation to each other. A status change command is generated responsive to a detected status change and to a timer interrupt signal. Execution of the plural data objects according to the processing procedure part and input parameters is then controlled so as to change a status of at least one of the plurality of objects in accordance with the status change command.

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Yawata, Japan

Hiroyuki Hamada