3-D street label visualization with an enhanced force-directed street labeling (FDSL) method

Abstract

To improve the parcel-based address system which has been used for the past 100 years, the street name address system has been fully enforced since 2014. The street labels are defined as an important factor for the recognition of locations and direction, but only labels of the buildings are shown in the current 3D spatial information services. To represent 3D spatial information without cluttering, solutions to minimize overlaps between labels and street labels hiding with building objects are required. Therefore, this study aims at improving the conventional 2.5D street labeling method, Force-directed Street Labeling, designing a labeling algorithm applicable for 3-D space information services, and presenting an efficient visualization methods on a specific part of the Hannaru-ro in Incheon of 3-D spatial information services. The coefficient relationship equation is derived for viewing angles at which street labels are overlapped in a 3-D spatial information service, and this coefficient relationship equation is used in the designed algorithm to minimize overlaps. After the labels is placed, the selected visualization methods were applied to an actual 3-D spatial information service, which confirmed the visibility of street labels even among 3-D objects. As a result, users can recognize all street labels on the screen clearly with no confusion, and this will be helpful for the policy to stimulate the use of the street name address system.