Controlling multiple map application operations with a single gesture

• US 20080184173A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, F. David, Bhattacharyay, Subha, Sutanto, Herry, Landstad, Todd M., Wang, Haiyong, Spencer, Richard L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A technology for controlling multiple map application operations with a single gesture is disclosed. In one method approach, data describing a single gesture that was inked on a map application output displayed on a device is received. The data is utilized to control multiple operations of the map application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of controlling multiple map application operations with a single gesture, the method comprising:

receiving data describing the single gesture that was inked on a map application output displayed on a device; and

utilizing the data to control multiple operations of the map application.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited by claim 1, further comprising:

communicating the multiple operations to the map application to enable manipulation of the map based on the multiple operations.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited by claim 1, wherein the receiving of the data describing the single gesture further comprises:

receiving data describing a single gesture selected from a group consisting of a panning gesture, a switch map styles gesture, a zoom gesture, a start point gesture, an end point gesture, a writing mode gesture, an execute command gesture, a find business gesture, and a delete gesture.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited by claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving data describing a command comprised of free form writing; and

utilizing the data describing the command to control multiple operations of the map application.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited by claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics of the single gesture based on the data; and

determining the multiple operations based on the one or more characteristics.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited by claim 5, wherein the determining of the one or more characteristics further comprises:

determining one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of the shape of the single gesture, the size of the single gesture, and the orientation of the single gesture.

7. A system for controlling multiple map application operations with a single gesture, the method comprising:

a single gesture for multiple map operations data receiver configured for receiving data describing the single gesture that was written on a map displayed on a mobile device, wherein the single gesture enables controlling a map application based on multiple operations that are determined based on the single gesture; and

a single gesture for multiple map operations communicator configured for communicating the multiple operations to the map application to enable manipulation of the map based on the multiple operations.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the single gesture is an intuitive feature.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the map application uses the multiple operations to provide another region of the map.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the single gesture is selected from a group consisting of a panning gesture, a switch map styles gesture, a zoom gesture, a start point gesture, an end point gesture, a writing mode gesture, an execute command gesture, a find business gesture, and a delete gesture

11. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a single gesture for multiple map operations characteristic determiner configured for determining one or more characteristics of the single gesture based on the data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the single gesture enables manipulation of the map without requiring multiple user initiated operations.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more characteristics are selected from a group consisting of the shape of the single gesture, the size of the single gesture, and the orientation of the single gesture.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein the map is output from the map application.

15. Instructions on a computer-usable medium wherein the instructions when executed cause a computer system to perform a method controlling multiple map application operations with a single inked gesture, the method comprising:

receiving data describing the single gesture that was inked on a map application output displayed on a device; and

utilizing the data to control multiple operations of the map application without requiring multiple user initiated operations.

16. The instructions of claim 15 wherein the instructions which when executed cause the computer system to receive the data describing the single gesture further comprise instructions for:

receiving data describing a single gesture selected from a group consisting of a panning gesture, a switch map styles gesture, a zoom gesture, a start point gesture, an end point gesture, a writing mode gesture, an execute command gesture, a find business gesture, and a delete gesture.

17. The instructions of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

determining one or more characteristics of the single gesture based on the data.

18. The instructions of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

determining the multiple operations based on the one or more characteristics.

19. The instructions of claim 17 wherein the instructions which when executed cause the computer system to determine the one or more characteristics further comprise instructions for:

determining one or more characteristics selected from a group consisting of the shape of the single gesture, the size of the single gesture, and the orientation of the single gesture.

20. The instructions of claim 15, wherein the single gesture is an intuitive feature.