Some embodiments provide a device that automatically orients and displays a map of a region according to the natural viewing orientation of the map. In some embodiments, the device examines data associated with the map to determine whether it can identify a natural viewing orientation of the map that differs from the geographic orientation of the map. When the device is able to identify such a natural viewing orientation, it displays the map according to this natural viewing orientation instead of the geographic orientation of the map. On the other hand, when the device is not able to identify a natural viewing orientation that differs from the geographic orientation, the device displays the map according to its geographic orientation. In some embodiments, the geographic orientation of the map is north-up orientation (where north is up (e.g., top center of the page), south is down, west is left, and east is right). In other embodiments, the geographic orientation of the map can be another orientation that is set by one of the geographic directions, such as south-up map orientation, where south is up, north is down, east is left and west is right.

A map database stores map data in multiple levels having different levels of details. In displaying a three-dimensional map, the map data having a higher level of details is used for a close view area near the viewpoint to a predetermined distance, and the map data having a lower level of details is used for a distant view area farther from the predetermined distance. The distant view area is first drawn by a perspective projection, and then, after clearing a depth buffer that stores depth information, the close view area is drawn, such that an undesirable hidden line removal process based on the depth information is not performed between the projected image in the distant view area and that in the close view area, thereby avoiding an unnatural phenomenon in which part of the close view image is hidden by the distant view image.

Based on map information acquired from a map DB, a viewpoint for viewing a ground surface on a map of a set region at a time of displaying the map is set. Altitude information that indicates an altitude of a landform present in at least a partial region of the set region is stored. In a case where the altitude information is present in the map DB at a position on the map, which is set in response to a position indicated by inputted position information, a sight direction of the viewpoint is changed, and the viewpoint is thereby set at a position higher than the altitude of the landform, which is indicated by altitude information of the position on the map. A display data for displaying, on a display device, a map in a case of viewing the ground surface from the viewpoint set is generated.

A system and device for controlling a display are disclosed. Data is examined, which correspond to an image to be shown with the display. Upon determining that said data comprise a critical item corresponding to an element of the image, the critical item is shown with an uncluttered view. Non-critical items corresponding to elements of the image are attempted to be shown as well, such that the critical item is not obscured and the image remains uncluttered.

A display control apparatus enabling a desired item to be displayed with excellent visibility by means of a simple operation is provided.

An interface 1 of a terminal apparatus SV acquires associated information in which an orientation of display on a display D, a moving direction of an operation position to a touch panel TP, and a display state on the display D controlled by movement of the operation position are associated with each other. The interface 1 also acquires direction information indicating the moving direction of the operation position. A control unit 3 controls the display state on the display D in accordance with the orientation of the display and the moving direction indicated by the direction information based on the associated information.

An approach for a route stabilization scrolling mode is provided. The approach displays a map window, wherein the map window includes a visible region of a map, the map including a plotted route originating at a source location and ending at a destination location. The approach receives one or more swipe gestures within the map window. The approach determines whether the one or more swipe gestures exceeds an escape velocity threshold. Responsive to a determination that the one or more swipe gestures exceeds the level of intensity to progress the map window into an area of the map away from the plotted route, the approach generates one or more custom pegs, wherein the one or more custom pegs is a compressed snapshot of a last position on the plotted route prior to exceeding the escape velocity threshold.

A method for displaying data in a graphical overlay. The method includes overlaying a first lens, including a first dataset, on a first region of the graphical overlay while a second lens, including a second dataset, overlaps the first lens. The first and second datasets are simultaneously displayed, and a correlation between the datasets is determined. Separation of the first and second lenses preserves a circumscribed region within each lens. The first dataset corresponds to first orientation position of the first lens. Rotation of the first lens to a second orientation position reconfigures the first dataset to provide a modified first dataset which corresponds to the second position. A rotational position may also be associated with points in time, a first position corresponding to a first point in time and the first dataset representing the first dataset at the first point in time.