Abstract: A system may generate a database of a geographical map of a navigation device. The geographical map covering a geographical area which is divided into several update regions. The system may identify at least one object in the geographical map which covers an object area in the geographical area. The object area can be divided into different parts which are located in different update regions. The system can store in the database, for each of said at least one object, information indicating that the object area overlaps with plural update regions, the information including pointers to update regions in which the respective different parts of the object area are stored.

Abstract: A method of generating search trees (25, 27) indicating next valid characters for an input interface of a navigation device includes determining a search sub-tree (29) which indicates next valid characters for both a subset of a first set of character strings and for a different second set of character strings. A first search tree (25) is generated based on information on the first set of character strings, and a second search tree (27) is generated based on information on the second set of character strings. The first search tree (25) is generated such that a node (26) of the first search tree (25) references the search sub-tree (29). The second search tree (27) is generated such that another node (28) of the second search tree (27) references the search sub-tree (29).

Abstract: A system and method for processing a 3-dimensional landmark providing a 3-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional real world object located at a predefined geographic location is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a data set containing the 3-dimensional landmark, determining a largest continuous horizontal surface of the 3-dimensional landmark, and storing the determined largest horizontal surface as road traffic area of a road network used by a user when moving on the object.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a 3-dimensional landmark providing a 3-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional real world object located at a predefined geographic location is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a data set containing the 3-dimensional landmark, determining a largest continuous horizontal surface of the 3-dimensional landmark, and storing the determined largest horizontal surface as road traffic area of a road network used by a user when moving on the object.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system has a processing device. The processing device receives entries in a first data structure that are generated and are respectively associated with one tile of a tiling. The processing device may compare a three-dimensional terrain on the respective tile with at least one pre-defined tile pattern. Either an identifier for a pre-defined tile pattern or data describing the terrain on the respective tile may be stored by the processing device in the entry.

Abstract: A method for generating a compressed navigation map database from uncompressed navigation map data, wherein the uncompressed navigation map data contains different building blocks of navigation data, each building block addressing a functional aspect of the navigation data, each block containing strings of data. The method includes determining, for each block of the uncompressed navigation map data, most frequent substrings of the block; storing, for each block, the determined most frequent substrings of the block in a seed block; replacing, for each block, in the strings the determined most frequent substrings stored in the seed block by a reference to the seed block thereby generating a compressed block for each block; and storing, for each block, the compressed block and the seed block in order to generate the compressed navigation map database.

Abstract: A navigation system may use digital maps to represent cartographic features during guidance along a route to a destination requested by a user. A system and method are provided for management of icons used to represent the cartographic features by storing data for multiple icons in a data array representing an image containing the plurality of icons.

Abstract: To update a database of a navigation device which stores at least a base version of a digital map, versions of the digital map which are available locally in the database or remotely from the navigation device are identified. To execute the navigation task, a version of the digital map is selected for execution of the navigation task. Data from a sub-set of storage blocks in which the selected version is stored is required to execute the navigation task. Depending on whether all storage blocks of the sub-set are already stored locally in the database, data stored in storage blocks of the sub-set which are not yet stored locally in the database are downloaded via a wireless interface. The downloaded data are stored in the database without modifying the base version of the digital map.

Abstract: A navigation device for a vehicle comprises a database storing, for a plurality of tiles of a tiling, at least one triangulated irregular network (TIN) defining a three-dimensional surface, and, for a plurality of triangular faces of the at least one TIN, control information defining a nested bounding sphere for the respective triangular faces. The navigation device comprises a processor coupled to the database configured to calculate a screen-space error for the plurality of triangular faces based on the respective control information and based on at least one of the following: a viewing angle of an electronic map view, a virtual camera position of the electronic map view. The processor is configured to predict whether a triangular face is visible in the electronic map view based on the calculated screen-space error.

Abstract: A navigation device comprises a processing device and a database. The database may store first data defining, for a plurality of objects, respectively a three-dimensional representation of the object. The database may store second data including, for at least a subset of the plurality of objects, an icon representation of the respective object, coordinates of the respective object and a pointer to a portion of the first data which is associated with the respective object. The processing device is coupled to the database and is configured to control an optical output device to display an object based on the first data or based on the second data.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a 3-dimensional landmark providing a 3-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional real world object located at a predefined geographic location is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a data set containing the 3-dimensional landmark, determining a largest continuous horizontal surface of the 3-dimensional landmark, and storing the determined largest horizontal surface as road traffic area of a road network used by a user when moving on the object.

Abstract: A navigation system may display a segment of a digital map including a map element and a label corresponding to the map element. A portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur may be determined based on coordinate values of the map element. The label may be displayed such that the portion of the digital map where no labeling shall occur is not occupied by any portion of the label.

Abstract: A navigation system includes a display for displaying at least a part of a digital map. A landmark detected within the digital map is displayed as a three-dimensional graphical object or a two-dimensional graphical object depending on a location of the landmark.

Abstract: A navigation system may display a map element represented by a spline including a plurality of vertices. Label coordinate values derived from coordinate values of the plurality of vertices may be retrieved from a database. A label assigned to the map element may be displayed based on the stored label coordinate values. The assigned label may be adapted to the geometric form of at least a portion of the map element.

Abstract: A navigation device comprises a search tree which indicates next valid characters. The search tree has a plurality of nodes. The nodes are respectively associated with a character. At least some of the nodes respectively include a predetermined indicator to indicate that there is an alternate spelling for a character with which the respective node is associated. A processor is configured to receive a character input and to identify at least one next valid character using the search tree. The processor is configured to identify the at least one next valid character in dependence on whether the predetermined indicator in the search tree indicates that another character has an alternate spelling, the alternate spelling of the other character being the character input.

Abstract: A method of generating search trees (25, 27) indicating next valid characters for an input interface of a navigation device includes determining a search sub-tree (29) which indicates next valid characters for both a subset of a first set of character strings and for a different second set of character strings. A first search tree (25) is generated based on information on the first set of character strings, and a second search tree (27) is generated based on information on the second set of character strings. The first search tree (25) is generated such that a node (26) of the first search tree (25) references the search sub-tree (29). The second search tree (27) is generated such that another node (28) of the second search tree (27) references the search sub-tree (29).

Abstract: The invention relates to system and method for generating a 3-dimensional representation of a tunnel. Road network data is provided having a plurality of road segments, at least one road segment being a tunnel road segment, including the information that said at least one road segment is a road segment located in a tunnel. The tunnel segment in the road network is identified, providing a geographical elevation map including elevation data of the geographical region in which the tunnel road segment is located, providing predefined patterns representing predefined parts of a 3-dimensional tunnel body, generating the 3-dimensional representation of the tunnel based on the tunnel road segment, the elevation map and the predefined patterns, and storing the 3-dimensional representation of the tunnel in connection with the road network as a 3-dimensional object which is located at the geographical position of the tunnel road segment.

Abstract: A method for generating a compressed navigation map database from uncompressed navigation map data, wherein the uncompressed navigation map data contains different building blocks of navigation data, each building block addressing a functional aspect of the navigation data, each block containing strings of data. The method includes determining, for each block of the uncompressed navigation map data, most frequent substrings of the block; storing, for each block, the determined most frequent substrings of the block in a seed block; replacing, for each block, in the strings the determined most frequent substrings stored in the seed block by a reference to the seed block thereby generating a compressed block for each block; and storing, for each block, the compressed block and the seed block in order to generate the compressed navigation map database.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation device comprises a map data base storing map data and a processing unit. The map data base includes first attributes indicative of the presence of express lanes and second attributes assigned to lanes to indicate which lanes of a road segment are express lanes. The processing unit is coupled to the map data base and is configured to perform a route search based at least on the first attribute and to control outputting of route guidance information via a user interface based at least on the second attribute.

Abstract: A system may generate a database of a geographical map of a navigation device. The geographical map covering a geographical area which is divided into several update regions. The system may identify at least one object in the geographical map which covers an object area in the geographical area. The object area can be divided into different parts which are located in different update regions. The system can store in the database, for each of said at least one object, information indicating that the object area overlaps with plural update regions, the information including pointers to update regions in which the respective different parts of the object area are stored.