Abstract: A map display control apparatus for a motor vehicle including a road map storage device which stores road map data relating to a road map. A bird's-eye view data converting circuit converts the road map data into bird's-eye view data so that the road map is displayable on a display device according to a bird's-eye view method in which the road map is obliquely looked down from above. A display control circuit controls the display device to display the road map according to the bird's-eye view data on the display device, wherein the display control circuit controls the display device to display an image representative of a sky in a part of the display device that is close to an upper side of a display screen of the display device.

Abstract: A navigation system which provides easy-to-understand route guidance using landmarks. Once a guided route is determined (201), the system determines the priority of landmarks to be used in route guidance considering such factors as an initial setting, time of day (daytime or nighttime), and user specifications (201), and selects crossings for which route guidance will be given (203). As a mobile unit approaches one of selected crossings (203, 206, 207), the system selects one of landmarks at the crossing and, at the same time, selects guidance phrases based on a relationship between the position of the landmark and running directions in which the mobile unit runs before and after passing through the crossing (209). Then, with the use of the landmark, the system provides guidance information on the running direction after passing through the crossing (210) using the selected phrase.

Abstract: A map display apparatus according to the present invention has a control circuit which divides a display screen of a display device into a plurality of regions, and processes a bird's-eye view data for each region and convert them into map image data. The control circuit then prepares vehicle information image data for displaying marks indicating current position and destination of the vehicle. In this step, mark data are prepared so that the mark is displayed at a display position corresponding to the destination when the destination is within a display range, and so that the mark is displayed at a display position that lies in the direction of the destination and is closest to the destination when the destination is not within the display range. Upon completion of preparation of the map image data and vehicle information image data, the control circuit displays these data on the display device, and then detects the current vehicle position again.

Abstract: A map display apparatus according to the present invention has a display device capable of displaying a road map in different map forms in a base screen region and a window screen region. A control circuit determines whether the window screen is provided or not on the basis of input information entered through an input device, and determines which one of a planimetric map and a bird's-eye view is displayed in the base screen and the window screen. Either of the planimetric map and the bird's-eye view are displayed using road map data as a common map data base stored in a map storage memory, which eventually reduces the cost of the apparatus. When the window screen is displayed, a range of the road map including at least a range of the road map displayed in the base screen is displayed in the window screen, and an indication representing the range of the road map displayed in the base screen is displayed in the window screen.

Abstract: A map display apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising: road map storage device which stores road map data relating to a road map; a display device capable of displaying the road map; bird's-eye view data converting circuit which converts the road map data into bird's-eye view data so that a bird's-eye view taken by obliquely looking down the road map from above is displayed on the display device; and display control circuit which displays a plurality of grid lines such that the grid lines are superposed on the bird's-eye view.