Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Keiichi Senda

Hitoshi Araki

Masato Yuda

Kenji Nishimura

Yoshiteru Kawasaki

Yoshiyuki Mochizuki

Tadashi Yoshida

Shigeo Asahara

Tadashi Kobayashi

Kimihiro Nomura

A map display apparatus includes a view transformation matrix generation unit which generates a view transformation matrix, including four rows and four columns, for transforming a global coordinate of a three-dimensional object into a view coordinate system; a view transformation matrix change unit which (i) changes, to 0, (a) the value of the first row in the second column and (b) the value of the third row in the second column in the view transformation matrix, in the case where the coordinate transformation is executed by multiplying a coordinate with the view transformation matrix from the left side of the coordinate, and (ii) changes, to 0, (a) the value of the second row in the first column and (b) the value of the second row in the third column in the view transformation matrix, in the case where the coordinate transformation is executed by multiplying the coordinate with the view transformation matrix from the right side of the coordinate; and a view transformation unit which transforms the global coordinate into the view coordinate system using the changed view transformation matrix.

Map display apparatus

The present invention provides a map error information obtaining system which can promote the collection of the map error information as well as reduce the number of man-hours required for researching the site and verifying whether or not the collected map error information is accurate. The map error information obtaining system herein disclosed comprises a position detecting apparatus including image obtaining means for obtaining image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of a current position, and a center apparatus, the position detecting apparatus being operative to transmit map error information including a position of the map information and image data where it is judged that there is a difference, to the center apparatus. The center apparatus is operative to correct the map information after verifying whether or not the difference in the map information is accurate using the image data. Furthermore, the center apparatus is operative to calculate an evaluation point for each of the position detecting apparatuses which have transmitted the map error information so that operators operating the position detecting apparatuses can be rewarded in accordance with their evaluation points.

Map error information obtaining system and map error information obtaining method

A vehicle information recording systemincludes a picture acquiring unitplaced in a vehicle that takes a picture of surroundings and generates picture data showing the picture, a vehicle data receiving unitplaced in the vehicle that receives other vehicle data concerning another vehicle shown in the picture acquired by the picture acquiring unit, an acquired information sending unitplaced in the vehicle that sends data including the picture data and the other vehicle data outside of the vehicle, a receiving unitplaced outside of the vehicle that receives the data sent by the acquired information sending unit, an encoding unitplaced outside of the vehicle that encodes the other vehicle data among the data received by the receiving unitand adds the encoded data to the picture data as related data, and a recording unitplaced outside of the vehicle that records the picture data to which the other vehicle data is added by the encoding unit

Vehicle information recording system

An in-vehicle information apparatus presents, to a user, information which includes a returning route. The apparatus includes: a home position holding unit for holding beforehand a position of the user's home; a home arrival time holding unit for holding beforehand the user's home arrival time; a present position obtainment unit for obtaining the user's present position; a present time obtainment unit for obtaining a present time; a route search unit for obtaining a returning route from the present position to the user's home position, a required time for the returning route, and a departure time to leave the present position so the user can get home by the home arrival time; and a presentation unit for comparing the obtained departure time and the present time, and presenting to the user the departure time and the returning route obtained by the route search unit, before the departure time is passed.

Information presentation apparatus and information presentation method

A polygon rendering device carries out a polygon division process for generating, based on polygon data which specifies a polygon to be rendered, a plurality of partial polygon data each specifying one piece of partial polygons which are obtained by dividing the polygon. Then, a rendering process is performed based on the generated partial polygon data so as to generate image data which represents an image of the polygon. Here, each of the partial polygons includes a plurality of triangles which respectively include a vertex of the polygon, and each of the triangles included in each of the partial polygons shares at least one edge with at least one other triangle included in the same partial polygon. In such a manner, the polygon rendering device can render polygons at high speeds.

Polygon rendering device

In a map display device, a surface storing unit stores surface information which defines a curved surface having a form that depends on positions of portions of a map which are to be enlarged and/or contracted. A mapping unit maps the map onto the curved surface defined by the surface information. A projecting/displaying unit projects the mapped map onto a flat virtual screen, and displays the projected image. Here, by defining the curved surface so that each part of the curved surface forms an intended angle with a line of sight in the projection, the image is displayed with desired portions enlarged and/or contracted, while maintaining connections of roads. The same effect can also be achieved by projecting the map onto a virtual screen having the form of the curved surface.

Map display device, map display method, and computer program for use in map display device

When a user indicates a portion of a map to be enlarged or contracted, a surface generating unit generates surfaces by gradually changing a surface from a first shape to a second shape, the first shape corresponding to a position of a map portion previously indicated and the second shape corresponding to a position of the map portion currently indicated. A mapping unit maps the map onto the generated surfaces in sequence, to obtain mapped images. A projecting/displaying unit sequentially projects the mapped images onto a flat virtual screen, and displays the projected images. Thus, the desired portion of the map can be enlarged/contracted, while maintaining connections of roads. Also, the map display can be transformed smoothly, even when the target of enlargement/contraction changes from one map portion to another according to the user's indications. This helps the user comprehend the contents of the map quickly and accurately.

This invention relates to map displaying system, in which the reference altitude value determining means obtains a reference altitude value in accordance with the altitude data in the specific area, and the altitude data changing means performs the processing that each altitude both in the plane area and the solid area have the continuity from one area to another. And the 2-dimensional road data storage means stores the 2-dimensional ground road data and the 2-dimensional underground road data separately. Therefore, the 3-dimensional road data preparing means prepares the 3-dimensional ground road data in accordance with the 2-dimensioanl ground road data and the altitude data, while preparing the 3-dimensional underground road data in accordance with the 2-dimensional underground road data and the altitude data.

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Kyoto, Japan

Keiichi Senda