Abstract: To display a navigation map for a navigation device more accurately and realistically and with less memory capacity, roads, railroad lines, rivers, lakes, and similar cartographic parameters are composed not of straight lines but of Cornu spirals. A Cornu spiral is defined by its curvature and its length.

Abstract: A navigation system evaluates vehicle and environmental parameters to determine if a vehicle can pass through a curved path. The system determines a vehicle position and a vehicle velocity. The system processes position and velocity information to determine if the vehicle can pass through the curved path. If a curved path cannot be traversed, the system issues a warning.

Abstract: A texturizing system for texturizing electronic representations of objects includes a texture library, a texture engine and a graphical user interface module. A source texture may be stored in the library with an associated unique identifier. The source texture may be manipulated with the graphical user interface module to form a complex texture. Manipulations to form the complex texture may be captured and stored in the texture library as a transformation procedure with a unique identifier. The unique identifier of either the complex texture or the source texture may be associated with a surface of an electronic representation of an image. When the electronic representation is displayed, the transformation procedure is performed and the surface associated with the transformation procedure may be texturized.

Abstract: An image generation system for developing three-dimensional electronic models of objects includes a scanner and a computing system. The scanner may be selectively positioned adjacent to an object in different geographic positions. The scanner may provide scanner position information and image data representative of the object to the computing system. The computing system may generate a three-dimensional electronic model of the object from the information. The three-dimensional electronic model may be stored and utilized in other applications, such as an electronic navigational map.

Abstract: A method for processing digital map data for route determination is provided that includes dividing a region into a plurality of zones, and for the zones, automatically determining at least one cost value for at least one direction of travel of the zone based on the digital map data of the zone and a predetermined cost criterion. A method for determining a route between two points is provided that includes dividing a region into a plurality of zones, for the zones, automatically determining at least one cost value for at least one direction of travel of the zone based on the digital map data of the zone and a predetermined cost criterion, and automatically determining at least one sequence of zones connecting the two points, where each zone of the sequence may be adjacent to another zone of the sequence, such that the sum of the cost values of the zones of the sequence may be optimized.