SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PRINTING MAPS AND DIRECTIONS

• US 20130103314A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Blumenberg, Christopher, Van Os, Marcel, Jon, Tiffany, Moore, Bradford, Dul, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1843 Changing size or raster resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

This is directed to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for printing maps and directions. In response to receiving an instruction to print directions, a device can define a layout optimized to show the route to travel, along with distinct steps that correspond to the route. The layout can include a map overview showing the entire route, with callouts identifying each step on the route. The layout can also include listings of individual steps, where each listing includes a reference number referring back to a callout and a description of the step. Each listings can also include a map tile showing a detailed view of the step corresponding to the listing. The map overview and the listings can be disposed, for example, in different columns of a landscape view.

Claims

1. A method for printing directions from a starting location to a final location, comprising:

retrieving a route from the starting location to the final location;

defining a printing layout comprising;

a first region comprising a map showing an overview of the route and at least one callout corresponding to a step for navigating from the starting location to the final location along the route; and

a second region disposed adjacent to the first region such that the entirety of the second region may be folded over the entirety of the first region along a centerline of the layout, the second region comprising listings of steps for navigating from the starting location to the final location, wherein at least one listing makes reference to the at least one callout; and

initiating an instruction to print the printing layout.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a scale for the map in the first region; and

display a graphical representation of the scale on the map.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

defining a segment length associated with the determined scale for the map; and

providing a border around the map, wherein the border comprises a sequence of discontinuous segments of the defined segment length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

segments of the sequence of discontinuous segments are spaced apart by the defined segment length.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each listing of steps of the second region comprises at least one of:

a step number;

a map tile depicting the step; and

a step description.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

displaying the map tile at a different scale than the map of the first region.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the second region comprises at least two listings; and

map tiles in each of the listings are displayed at different scales.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining an expected decision time associated with each step of the route;

defining a scale based on the determined expected decision time at which to display a map tile associated with each step.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining an expected decision time further comprises determining an expected decision time from at least one of:

a maneuver of the step;

an expected speed at which the maneuver of the step is performed;

a previous step; and

a next step.

10. An electronic device operative to generate a layout for printing directions, comprising:

an input interface for receiving instructions from a user; and

control circuitry operative to;

receive an instruction to print directions from a first location to a second location;

retrieve a map showing an overview of a route from the first location to a second location;

retrieve a sequence of steps for navigating along the route from the first location to the second location;

define a layout for a landscape-oriented paper in which the retrieved map is disposed in a first column of the layout and a listing comprising the retrieved sequence of steps is disposed in a second column of the layout, wherein the layout does not include any content along a centerline of the landscape-oriented paper.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

initiate printing of the layout.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

for each step of the sequence of steps, display a callout identifying the step on the route in the retrieved map.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

retrieve a map tile for each displayed callout to include in the listing.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

select a scale for each map tile that differs from the scale of the retrieved map disposed on the first side.

15. A method for printing directions from a starting location to a destination, comprising:

identifying a sequence of steps for navigating from the starting location to the destination;

determining a number of pages on which to print the sequence of steps, wherein the difference in number of steps printed on each page is at most two;

defining a layout for printing the directions, wherein the layout comprises;

a map showing an overview of a route from the starting position to the destination disposed in a first region of each page; and

a listing of steps from the identified sequence of steps in a second region of each page, wherein each entry of the listing of steps comprises a step number, a map tile, and a step description; and

receiving an instruction to initiate printing of the layout.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein defining a layout further comprises:

defining a layout for a landscape orientation.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein defining a layout further comprises:

disposing the map on a left side of the layout; and

disposing the listing of steps on a right side of the layout, wherein the layout can be folded on a centerline of the layout to place the map over the listing of steps.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the layout does not include any content on the centerline of the layout.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein defining a layout further comprises:

providing a discontinuous border around the map, wherein a dimension of a discontinuous segment of the discontinuous border is associated with a scale of the map.

20. An electronic device operative to initiate a printing system to print directions, the device comprising:

an interface for initiating a printing system to print; and

control circuitry operative to;

receive an instruction to print directions from a starting point to a destination, wherein the directions comprise a sequence of steps;

define, for each step, a scale for a map tile depicting a maneuver associated with the step, wherein the scale used for the map tiles associated with at least two steps are different; and

define a layout for printing the directions, wherein the layout comprises a plurality of listings each associated with a step of the sequence of steps, wherein each listing comprises a map tile displayed at the defined scale for the map tile.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

for each step, determine characteristics of the maneuver associated with the step; and

define the scale for each map tile of each step based on the determined characteristics.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

for each step, retrieve characteristics of the maneuver associated with at least one of a previous step and a next step; and

define the scale for each map tile of based on the retrieved characteristics.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the characteristics comprise at least one of:

the speed of the maneuver associated with the step;

the type of the maneuver associated with the step; and

a mode of transportation for the route.

24. A computer-readable medium for printing directions from a starting location to a destination, comprising computer-readable instructions recorded thereon for:

identifying a sequence of steps for navigating from the starting location to the destination;

determining a number of pages on which to print the sequence of steps, wherein the difference in number of steps printed on each page is at most two;

defining a layout for printing the directions, wherein the layout comprises;

a map showing an overview of a route from the starting position to the destination disposed in a first region of each page; and

a listing of steps from the identified sequence of steps in a second region of each page, wherein each entry of the listing of steps comprises a step number, a map tile, and a step description; and

providing the layout to a printing system for printing.