Method For Displaying Objects to be Positioned on a Display of a Positioning Device, a Positioning Device and an Application

• US 20080163057A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tracker Oy (Open Air Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Tracker Oy (Open Air Group AB)
• Inventors: Lohi, Hannu, Piltonen, Harri, Vanhala, Samuli
• Application Number:
  US11/912,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163057A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/718
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver

Abstract

More than one object to be positioned can be set simultaneously in mobile satellite positioning devices, and these objects can be either fixed coordinate points or moving objects. The objects are shown as graphical symbols on the display of the positioning device. Positioning devices can be set in a map display mode, in which there is a map base depicting the area to be positioned visible on the display, or in an arrow display mode, in which there is a compass circle and a direction arrow pointing to the active object to be positioned visible on the display.

Claims

1. A method for showing the objects to be positioned as graphical symbols, such as icons, on the display of a mobile positioning device, which can be set in a map display mode, in which there is a map base visible on the display and in an arrow display mode, in which there is a compass circle and a direction arrow visible on the display, characterized in that in the map display mode, the graphical symbols representing the objects to be positioned are shown on the map base when they are located on the part of the map base visible on the display, and on the edges of the map base when they are located outside the part of the map base visible on the display.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the map display mode, the icons representing the objects outside the part of the map base visible on the display are placed on the edges of the map base in a way that they indicate in which direction the object to be positioned associated with the icon is in relation to the location of the positioning device.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the appearance of the icon is changed when the icon is placed on the edge of the map base.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the icons are provided with a shortcut menu for presenting and editing information related to the objects to be positioned and/or for performing functions related to the object to be positioned.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the shortcut menu is opened by moving the cursor of the positioning device onto the icon and clicking the icon.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the arrow display mode, the icons depicting the objects to be positioned are placed on the compass circle in a way that their location on the compass circle indicates in which direction the object to be positioned is in relation to the positioning device.

7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the icons depicting the objects to be positioned are placed on the compass circle in a way that the distance between the icon and the midpoint of the compass circle is proportional to the distance between the object to be positioned depicted by the icon and the positioning device.

8. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that in the arrow display mode, the direction arrow points to the icon depicting the active object and that information related to the active object is shown on the display in the primary data field.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized n that in the arrow display mode, information related to other objects than the object to be positioned and indicated by the direction arrow is presented on the display in the secondary data field.

33. A computer program on a storage or data transfer medium for loading an application according to claim 27 into the memory of the mobile positioning device for implementing the method according to claim 1.

10. A mobile positioning device having a display for presenting information and means for presenting the objects to be positioned as graphical symbols, such as icons, on the display of the positioning device, which positioning device can be set in a map display mode, in which there is a map base visible on the display and in an arrow display mode, in which there is a compass circle and a direction arrow visible on the display, characterized in that in the map display mode, the icons representing the objects to be positioned are arranged to be placed on the map base when they are located on the part of the map base visible on the display, and on the edges of the map base when they are located outside the part of the map base visible on the display.

11. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that in the map display mode, the icons representing objects outside the part of the map base visible on the display are arranged to be placed on the edges of the map base in a way that they indicate n which direction the object to be positioned, represented by the icon, is in relation to the location of the positioning device.

12. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises a memory having an image bank for the icons.

13. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that the icons are provided with a shortcut menu, which is arranged to open by selecting the icon, preferably by moving the cursor of the positioning device onto the icon and clicking the icon.

14. A positioning device according to claim 13, characterized in that there is at least one object function line in the shortcut menu for presenting and/or editing information of the object to be positioned, associated with the icon.

15. A positioning device according to claim 14, characterized in that the object function line is provided with a submenu, which is arranged to open by selecting the object function line, and which submenu comprises alternative functions to be performed on the object to be positioned.

16. A positioning device according to claim 13, characterized in that there is at least one location function line in the shortcut menu for performing the functions related to the coordinate point of the map base pointed by the Cursor.

17. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that in the arrow display mode, the icons depicting the objects to be positioned are arranged to be placed on the compass circle in a way that their location on the compass circle indicates in which direction the object to be positioned is in relation to the positioning device.

18. A positioning device according to claim 17, characterized in that the icons depicting the objects to be positioned are arranged to be placed on the compass circle so that the distance between the icon and the midpoint of the compass circle is proportional to the distance between the object to be positioned depicted by the icon and the positioning device.

19. A positioning device according to claim 17, characterized in that in the arrow display mode, the direction arrow is arranged to point to the icon depicting the active object, and that there is at least one primary data field on the display for presenting information related to the active object.

20. A positioning device according to claim 17, characterized in that in the arrow display mode, there is at least one secondary data field on the display for presenting information of other objects than the object indicated by the direction arrow.

21. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that it has means for sending and receiving positioning information via a wireless communications network, preferably a cellular telephone network.

22. A positioning device according to claim 10, characterized in that it has means for receiving and processing of signals transmitted by positioning satellites.

23. A positioning device according to claim 22, characterized in that it has means for determining the location of the positioning device on the basis of the positioning signals received.

24. A positioning device according to claim 22, characterized in that it is a so-called GPS positioning device.

25. A positioning device according to claim 22, characterized in that it comprises a separate locator with said means for receiving and processing of signals transmitted by positioning satellites and a separate terminal device equipped with a positioning application, and that there is a data transfer connection between the locator and the terminal device, preferably a Bluetooth connection.

26. A positioning device according to claim 25, characterized in that said terminal device is a portable computer, a palm computer or a mobile phone.

27. An application for presenting objects to be positioned as graphical symbols, such as icons on the display of a mobile positioning device, which positioning device can be set in a map display mode, in which there is a map base visible on the display and an arrow display mode, in which there is a compass circle and a direction arrow visible on the display, characterized in that said application comprises means for placing icons depicting the objects to be positioned on the map base in the map display mode when they are located on the part of the map base visible on the display and on the edges of the map base when they are located outside the part of the map base visible on the display.

28. An application according to claim 27, characterized in that it comprises means for placing icons depicting objects to be positioned on the edges of the map base in the map display mode in a way that they indicate in which direction the object to be positioned associated with the icon is in relation to the location of the positioning device.

29. An application according to claim 27, characterized in that it comprises means for placing icons depicting the objects to be positioned on the compass circle in the arrow display mode in a way that their location on the compass circle indicates in which direction the object to be positioned is in relation to the positioning device.

30. An application according to claim 29, characterized in that the icons depicting the objects to be positioned are arranged to be placed on the compass circle in such a way that the distance between the icon and the midpoint of the compass circle is proportional to the distance between the object to be positioned, depicted by the icon, and the positioning device.

31. An application according to claim 27, characterized in that it comprises means for indicating the direction of motion of the moving object on the map base visible on the display in the map display mode.

32. An application according to claim 27, characterized in that it comprises means for emphasizing the selected, active object, and means for indicating the direction of the active object in the map display mode.