Methods And Apparatus For Retrieving And Displaying Map-Related Data For Visually Displayed Maps Of Mobile Communication Devices

• US 20110167392A1
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Johnson, Eric, Dicke, Ronald Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 11,326,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/864
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A cellular telephony device operatives to receive map data via a cellular network map data, and causes a region of a map having one or more selectable map elements to be displayed in a display in accordance with the map data. The cellular telephony device then causes selectable map element information to be displayed in the display in response to detecting a selection of one of the selectable map elements. In response to detecting a selection of the selectable map element information, the cellular telephony device sends, to a private network file server via the cellular network, a request for an electronic file document associated with the selectable map element information. The cellular telephony device then receives, via the cellular network, the file contents information corresponding to the request for the electronic file document, and causes at least a portion of the electronic file document to be displayed in the display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving map data at a mobile device via a cellular telecommunications network;

causing a region of a map having one or more selectable map elements to be displayed in a display of the mobile device in accordance with the map data;

causing selectable map element information to be displayed in the display in response to detecting a selection of one of the selectable map elements;

sending a request for a file to a private network file server via the cellular telecommunications network in response to detecting a selection of the selectable map element information, the request including a file identifier of an electronic file document associated with the selectable map element information;

receiving, via the cellular telecommunications network, the file contents information corresponding to the request for the file; and

displaying at least a portion of the electronic file document in the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable map elements comprise one or more point of interest (POI) indicators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving the map data comprises receiving the map data from a public location-based service server of a public location-based service network having a network database which includes the map data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving the map data comprises receiving the map data from a public location-based service server of a public location-based service network having a network database which includes the map data, and the electronic file document is stored on the private network file server in a private network which is separate and apart from the public location-based service network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable map element information comprises the file identifier of the electronic file document, and the act of detecting the selection of the selectable map element information comprises the further act of detecting a selection of the file identifier of the electronic file document.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic file document includes file contents information formatted in an original file format, and wherein the act of receiving the file contents information comprises the further act of receiving the file contents information in a converted format, different from the original file format.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selectable map element information comprises a file icon indicative of the original file format of the electronic file document.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the converted format comprises XML format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable map element information comprises a file link to the electronic file document on the private network file server.

10. The method of claim 1, which is embodied in a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium and computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium which are executable by one or more processors for performing the method.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a user interface which includes a display;

a cellular radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured for communications with a cellular telecommunications network;

one or more processors coupled to the user interface and the cellular RF transceiver;

the one or more processors being configured to;

receive map data via the cellular RF transceiver;

cause a region of a map having one or more selectable map elements to be displayed in the display in accordance with the map data;

cause selectable map element information to be displayed in the display in response to detecting a selection, via the user interface, of one of the selectable map elements;

sending a request for a file to a private network file server via the cellular RF transceiver in response to detecting a selection of the selectable map element information via the user interface, the request including a file identifier of an electronic file document associated with the selectable map element information;

receiving, via the cellular RF transceiver, the file contents information corresponding to the request for the file; and

causing at least a portion of the electronic file document to be displayed in the display.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more selectable map elements comprise one or more point of interest (POI) indicators.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive the map data by receiving the map data from a public location-based service server of a public location-based service network having a network database which includes the map data.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive the map data from a public location-based service server of a public location-based service network having a network database which includes the map data, and the electronic file document is stored on the private network file server in a private network which is separate and apart from the public location-based service network.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the selectable map element information comprises the file identifier of the electronic file document, and the one or more processors are further configured to detect the selection of the selectable map element information by detecting a selection of the file identifier of the electronic file document.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the electronic file document includes file contents information formatted in an original file format, and the one or more processors are further configured to receive the file contents information by receiving the file contents information in a converted format, different from the original file format.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the selectable map element information comprises a file icon indicative of the original file format of the electronic file document.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the converted format comprises XML format.

19. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the selectable map element information comprises a file link to the electronic file document on the private network file server.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium; and

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a mobile communication device for;

receiving map data at the mobile device via a cellular telecommunications network;

causing a region of a map having one or more selectable map elements to be displayed in a display of the mobile device in accordance with the map data;

causing selectable map element information to be displayed in the display in response to detecting a selection of one of the selectable map elements;

sending a request for a file to a private network file server via the cellular telecommunications network in response to detecting a selection of the selectable map element information, the request including a file identifier of an electronic file document associated with the selectable map element information;

receiving, via the cellular telecommunications network, the file contents information corresponding to the request for the file; and

displaying at least a portion of the electronic file document in the display.