Processing map-related user input to detect route requests

• US 10,054,460 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Duggan, Finbarr
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, Ce Li
• Application Number:
  US15/082,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20170276505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An application processes user input with respect to a geographic map to generate annotations associated with locations on that geographic map. Such annotations can include user entered characters and graphics, including curves and lines. The application distinguishes between user inputs that are annotations and user inputs that indicate a request for a route between two locations. In response to user input with respect to a geographic map, the application determines whether the user input is a request for a route. When performing such comparisons, the application uses locations and road segments that are presented at a zoom level corresponding the zoom level applied at the time the user input for the annotation was received. After determining that a user input corresponds to a request for a route, the application generates data describing a route. The application can present a plurality of candidate routes to the user for selection.

Claims

1. A computer, comprising:

a processing system comprising one or more processing units and storage, the storage comprising computer program code that, when executed by the processing system, configures the processing system to comprise;

a graphical user interface having an input receiving map data and a zoom level and an output providing display data including a graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level for presentation;

an input processing module having an input receiving user input representing a curve or line with respect to a location on the graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level, and an output;

the input processing module being configured to process the user input to;

determine whether the curve or line corresponds to an input for an annotation or a request for a route between geographic locations corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level, using a function comparing the curve or line to the map data at the zoom level;

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the request for the route, generate data representing one or more routes between the geographical locations corresponding to the curve or line, based on at least the map data and the geographic locations corresponding to the curve or line; and

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the annotation, generating annotation data based on the curve or line, and storing the generated annotation data in the storage through the output, wherein the annotation data comprises a data structure including data based on the user input and representing the annotation, data representing a geographic location corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map data, and the zoom level.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to a straight line between end points defined by the curve or line.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to closest road segments visible in the graphical representation of the map at the zoom level between end points defined by the user input.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to a route between end points and through waypoints defined by the curve or line.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to prompt the user for additional input indicating whether the curve or line is a request for a route.

6. The computer of claim 5, wherein the input processing module is configured to store the annotation data in response to the additional input indicating that the curve or line is not a request for a route.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to locations and road segments presented at the zoom level applied to the map at the time the curve or line was received.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer storage medium,

computer program instructions stored on the at least one computer storage medium which, when processed by a processing system of a computer, the processing system comprising one or more processing units and storage, configures the computer to comprise;

a graphical user interface having an input receiving map data and a zoom level and an output providing display data including a graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level for presentation;

an input processing module having an input receiving user input representing a curve or line at a location on the graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level;

the input processing module being configured to process the user input to;

determine, using a function comparing the curve or line to the map data at the zoom level, whether the curve or line corresponds to an input for an annotation or a request for a route between geographic locations corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map data at the zoom level;

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the request for the route, generate data representing one or more routes between the geographical locations corresponding to the curve or line, based on at least the map data and the geographic locations corresponding to the curve or line; and

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the annotation, generate annotation data based on the curve or line, and storing the generated annotation data in the storage, wherein the annotation data comprises a data structure including data based on the user input and representing the annotation, data representing a geographic location corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map data, and the zoom level.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to a straight line between end points defined by the curve or line.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to closest road segments visible in the graphical representation of the map at the zoom level between end points defined by the curve or line.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to a route between end points and through waypoints defined by the curve or line.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to prompt the user for additional input indicating whether the curve or line is a request for a route.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the input processing module is configured to store the annotation data in response to the additional input indicating that the curve or line is not a request for a route.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein, to determine whether the curve or line corresponds to a request for a route, the input processing module is configured to compare the curve or line to locations and road segments presented at the zoom level applied to the map at the time the curve or line was received.

15. A computer-implemented process comprising:

processing, using a processor, user input in memory, the user input representing a curve or line at a location on a graphical representation of map data presented by a graphical user interface at a zoom level;

determining whether the curve or line corresponds to an input for an annotation or a request for a route between geographic locations corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map at the zoom level, using a function comparing the curve or line to the map data at the zoom level;

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the request for the route, generating data representing one or more routes between the geographical locations corresponding to the curve or line, based on at least the map data and the geographic locations corresponding to the curve or line; and

in response to determining that the curve or line corresponds to the annotation, generating annotation data based on the curve or line, and storing the generated annotation data in the storage, wherein the annotation data comprises a data structure including data based on the user input and representing the annotation, data representing a geographic location corresponding to the location of the curve or line on the graphical representation of the map data, and the zoom level.

16. The computer-implemented process of claim 15, wherein determining comprises comparing the curve or line to a straight line between end points defined by the curve or line.

17. The computer-implemented process of claim 15, wherein determining comprises comparing the curve or line to closest road segments visible in the graphical representation of the map at the zoom level between end points defined by the curve or line.

18. The computer-implemented process of claim 15, wherein determining comprises comparing the curve or line to a route between end points and through waypoints defined by the curve or line.

19. The computer-implemented process of claim 15, further comprising prompting the user for additional input indicating whether the curve or line is a request for a route.

20. The computer-implemented process of claim 19, further comprising storing the annotation data in response to the additional input indicating that the curve or line is not a request for a route.