METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRESENTING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED TO GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

• US 20090177384A1
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Wayfinder Systems AB (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: WALDER, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for presenting points of interest (POIs) via a graphical user interface (GUI) on an apparatus. Generally, data is received via a global positioning system (GPS) and map data is received via a communications network. Next, a reference location is determined, and based on the reference location a search area is determined. Next, POIs are found within said search area, wherein said reference location is comprised within said search area, and then said POIs are organized in a multilevel hierarchy tree. Finally, the found POIs are presented on the GUI.

Claims

1. A method for presenting points of interest (POIs) via a graphical user interface (GUI) of an apparatus, said method comprising

determining a reference location,

determining a search area based on said reference location,

finding POIs within said search area utilising map data,

organizing said POIs in a multilevel hierarchy tree,

thereby enabling dynamic presentation of POIs present within said search area via said GUI.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

receiving data via a global positioning system, and wherein said reference location is determined using said received data.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein points comprised within said search area constitute a convex set.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a size of said search area is dependent of way of transportation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of said search area is dependent of a velocity with which said apparatus is moved.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of finding POIs within said search area and said step of organizing said POIs are automatically performed after a search area change.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of levels of said multilevel level hierarchy is adjustable.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein distances are presented in association to said POIs.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size of said search area is adjustable via a slider bar in said GUI.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

determining a cache area, wherein said cache area comprises said search area,

receiving cache map data corresponding to said cache area,

storing said cache map data.

19. A computer program product comprising software instructions that, when stored on a computer-readable medium and executed in an apparatus, such as a mobile communication terminal, performs the method according to claim 1.

20. The method according to claim 2, wherein points comprised within said search area constitute a convex set.

11. A device for processing map data, comprising

a graphical user interface (GUI),

a reference location determinator adapted to determine a reference location,

a search area determinator adapted to determine a search area based on said reference location,

a point of interests (POI) determinator adapted to determine POIs within said search area utilising map data,

a POI organizer adapted to organize said POIs in a multi-level tree hierarchy,

thereby enabling dynamic presentation of POIs present within said search area via said GUI.

12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising a receiver adapted to receive data from a global positioning system, and wherein said reference location determinator is adapted to determine said reference location based upon said received data.

13. The device according to claim 11, further comprising

a user input receiver adapted to receive user input data.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said user input receiver is adapted to receive a user set reference location, and said reference location determinator is configured to set said reference location as said user set reference location.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein said user input receiver is adapted to receive search area conditions, and said search area determinator is configured to determine said search area based on said search area conditions.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein said user input receiver is adapted to receive POI organization conditions, and said POI organizer is configured to organize said POI output data based on said POI organization conditions.

17. The device according to claim 11, wherein said search area determinator comprises a velocity determinator configured to determine a velocity with which said device is moving, and said search area determinator is configured to determine said search area based on said determined velocity.

18. A system for handling points of interests (POIs), said system comprising

a communications network,

a device according to claim 11 connected to said communications network, and

a number of databases containing map data connected to said communications network, wherein said databases are configured to communicate with said device via said communication networks.