MAP DISPLAY SYSTEM AND MAP DISPLAY METHOD
A map display system includes a search section searching for a reference point where a map has not changed for approximately the same period as a period during which a map or a landscape of a base point has not changed, and a display section displaying information which represents the searched reference point. Further, a map display method includes searching for a reference point where a map has not changed for approximately the same period as a period during which a map or a landscape of a base point has not changed, and displaying information which represents the searched reference point.
1 . A map generating apparatus comprising:
an image input section receiving input of an image of a building;
an identification section of a computer, determining whether or not a name of the building can be identified based on a unique characteristic of the building found in the image of the building, and responsive to a determination that a name of the building can be identified, identifying a construction period of the building using the identified name, and otherwise, responsive to a determination that a name of the building cannot be identified based on a unique characteristic of the building found in the image of the building, estimating a construction period of the building using an alternative method;
a search section searching for a position which has not changed since the construction period identified in the identification section; and
a map generating section generating, responsive to the search section finding the position which has not changed since the construction period, map information including the position.
2 . (canceled)
3 . The map generating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the image input section receives input of an image captured by a camera, and
the map generating apparatus further comprises a transmitting section transmitting the map information generated in the map generating section to the camera.
4 . A map generating method, comprising:
an image input step of inputting an image of a building;
an identification step of determining, using a computer, whether or not a name of the building can be identified based on a unique characteristic of the building found in the image of the building, and responsive to a determination that a name of the building can be identified, identifying a construction period of the building using the identified name, and otherwise, responsive to a determination that a name of the building cannot be identified based on a unique characteristic of the building found in the image of the building, estimating a construction period of the building using an alternative method;
a search step of searching a position which has not changed since the construction period identified at the identification step; and
a map generating step of generating, responsive to finding the position which has not changed since the construction period, map information including the position.
5 . (canceled)
6 . The map generating method according to claim 4 , wherein
the image input step inputs an image captured by a camera, and
the map generating method further comprises a transmitting step of transmitting the map information generated in the map generating step to the camera.
7 . A map generating apparatus comprising:
a chronological map data base storing chronological maps;
a map comparison section of a computer, sequentially comparing a current map with chronological maps of the past using chronological maps stored in the chronological map data base to determine if a change occurred between the current map and one of the chronological maps, and responsive to a determination that a change occurred, determining a time when the change occurred based on year information associated with the one of the of the chronological maps, and otherwise, responsive to a determination that a change did not occur, comparing the current map with a next one of the chronological maps and repeating the change determination;
a reference point search section searching for a reference point where the map has not changed since the time of the change determined by the map comparison section; and
a map generating section generating, responsive to the reference point being found by the reference point search section, map information including the reference point.
8 . The map generating apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the reference point search section includes:
a first change detecting section detecting a period in which there has been a change, based on the result of comparison by the map comparison section
an area specifying section specifying an area for searching the reference point; and
a second change detecting section detecting, using the chronological map stored in the chronological map data base, a place which has not changed inside or near the area specified by the area specifying section, during the period detected by the change detecting section in which there has been a change and a period within a predetermined range,
wherein the place which has not changed detected by the second change detecting section is the reference point.
9 . The map generating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the area specifying section receives input of a transmission position of a camera.
10 . The map generating apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a transmitting section transmitting the map information generated in the map generating section to a camera.
11 . A map generating method in a map search apparatus having a chronological map data base storing chronological maps, the method comprising:
a map comparison step of sequentially comparing, using a computer, a current map with chronological maps of the past using chronological maps stored in the chronological map data base to determine if a change occurred between the current map and one of the chronological maps, and responsive to a determination that a change occurred, determining a time when the change occurred based on year information associated with the one of the of the chronological maps, and otherwise, responsive to a determination that a change did not occur, comparing the current map with a next one of the chronological maps and repeating the change determination;
a reference point search step of searching for a reference point where the map has not changed since the time of the change determined by the map comparison section; and
a map generating step of generating, responsive to the reference point being found by the reference point search section, map information including the reference point.
12 . The map generating method according to claim 11 , wherein the reference point search step includes:
a first change detecting step of detecting a period in which there has been a change, based on the result of comparison by the map comparison section;
an area specifying step of specifying an area for searching the reference point; and
a second change detecting step of detecting, using the chronological map stored in the chronological map data base, a place which has not changed inside or near the area specified by the area specifying step, during the period detected by the change detecting section in which there has been a change and a period within a predetermined range, wherein the place which has not changed detected by the second change detecting step is the reference point.
13 . The map generating method according to claim 12 , wherein
the area specifying step inputs a transmission position of a camera.
14 . The map generating method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a transmitting step of transmitting the map information generated in the map generating step to a camera.