Method and system for displaying social networking navigation information

• US 20090281719A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gabriel Jakobson
• Inventors: Jakobson, Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A mapping system associated with a social network includes determining that a social networking map object (“MO”) is outside a visible area of a map displayed; calculating the direction, distance and travel-time to the MO (e.g. a social network member, a location, a meeting place, etc.), creating an object vector indicator (“OVI”) and displaying the OVI on a map-display application. The OVI may be displayed on the periphery of the displayed map and may be positioned in the general direction of the MO. The position of the electronic device, as well as a current position of the MO, are factored into the calculations and placement of the OVI. The OVI may include a graphical representation, obtained from the social network, of the MO it references.

Claims

1. A method for displaying object vector indicators (“

OVI”

) referencing social-networking related map-objects (“

MO”

) on an electronic map, comprising;

providing an electronic device having a map-display application that is coupled to a mapping service and to a social network, and a display for displaying a selected area of the electronic map;

obtaining a MO from the social network;

determining that coordinates of the MO are not within the selected area of the electronic map;

computing distance and travel-related information from a location within the selected area of the electronic map to the MO;

computing a placement position of an OVI referencing the MO on the map-display application;

creating the OVI containing the distance and travel-related information; and

displaying the OVI on the display at the computed placement position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is the center of the selected area of the electronic map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is a location marker.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location marker is obtained from the social network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the MO.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the distance-and-travel information includes at least one of the following:

an aerial distance to the MO, a travel distance to the MO, a visual indicator pointing in the direction of the MO, and an estimated travel-time to the MO.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the travel-distance to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the estimated travel-time to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the OVI includes a graphical representation of the MO.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical representation is obtained from the social network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the OVI includes contact information of the MO.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the contact information is obtained from the social network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein selecting the contact information facilitates an electronic communication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step is repeated in response to at least one of the following:

a change in the position of the electronic device, a change in the position of the MO, and a change in elapsed time

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step and the computing the placement position of the OVI step are repeated in response to a change in travel conditions.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step further comprises:

obtaining the position of the electronic device;

transmitting the position of the electronic device to a remote server; and

receiving from the remote server the distance-and-travel information.

18. A method of displaying social-networking information on an electronic map, comprising:

receiving a list of map objects (“

MOs”

) from a social network;

determining the geographic coordinates of the MOs;

determining that the MOs are outside the bounds of an area of the map visible to a user;

creating an object vector indicator (“

OVI”

) for each of the MOs; and

displaying the OVIs on the electronic map.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the creating an OVI step includes calculating a distance, a direction and a travel time from a point on the area of the map visible to the user, to the location of the MO.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the point on the area of the map corresponds to the location of the electronic device.

21. A method for selecting information to display in an electronic map display application coupled with a social network, comprising:

obtaining a map object (“

MO”

) from a social network;

displaying a first portion of an electronic map generated by the electronic map display application;

displaying an object vector indicator (“

OVI”

);

receiving a user input;

determining that the user input is associated with the OVI;

determining a second portion of the electronic map; and

displaying the second portion of the electronic map by the electronic map display application.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the determining the second portion of the electronic map comprises:

determining the MO referenced by the OVI;

determining coordinates of the MO;

panning the electronic map such that the center of the electronic map corresponds approximately to the coordinates of the MO.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the displaying the second portion of the electronic map includes animation.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the animation includes panning the electronic map in small intervals along a travel route until the center of the electronic map corresponds approximately to the coordinates of the MO.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the travel route spans a distance from a point on the first portion of the electronic map to the MO.

26. A method for creating and displaying an object vector indicator (“

OVI”

) on an electronic map of a global navigation system (“

GPS”

) device, comprising;

a) providing the GPS device having a map display application that is coupled to a social network and a display for displaying a portion of the electronic map;

b) receiving coordinates of the GPS device;

c) receiving information on a map-object (“

MO”

) from the social network;

d) determining coordinates of the MO from the received information;

e) determining a range of coordinates inclusive of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

f) calculating that the coordinates of the MO are not within the range of coordinates of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

g) creating the OVI to reference the MO;

h) calculating the placement of the OVI on the display; and

i) displaying the OVI on the display.

27. The method,of claim 26, wherein the step of creating the OVI includes:

calculating the direction, distance and travel-time from the position of the electronic device to the MO; and

including the calculated data in the OVI.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of creating the OVI includes:

obtaining a graphical image from the social network and including at least a portion of the graphical image in the OVI.