Navigation Peek Ahead and Behind in a Navigation Application

• US 20140365122A1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McGavran, Christine B., Moore, Bradford A., Moore, Christopher D., Habeck, Harold O., van Os, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 9,404,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• 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 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method of providing a sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions on a device traversing a route is provided. Each turn-by-turn navigation instruction is associated with a location on the route. As the device traverses along the route, the method displays a turn-by-turn navigation instruction associated with a current location of the device. The method receives a touch input through a touch input interface of the device while displaying a first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a first map region that displays the current location and a first location associated with the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction. In response to receiving the touch input, the method displays a second turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a second map region that displays a second location associated with the second turn-by-turn navigation instruction. Without receiving additional input, the method automatically returns to the display of the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and the first map region.

Claims

1. A method of providing a sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions on a device traversing a route, each turn-by-turn navigation instruction associated with a location on the route, the method comprising:

as the device traverses along the route, displaying a turn-by-turn navigation instruction for a current location of the device;

receiving a touch input through a touch input interface of the device while displaying a first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a first map region that displays the current location and a first location associated with the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction;

in response to receiving the touch input, displaying a second turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a second map region that displays a second location associated with the second turn-by-turn navigation instruction; and

without receiving additional input, automatically returning to the display of the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and the first map region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction is before the second turn-by-turn navigation instruction in the sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction is after the second turn-by-turn navigation instruction in the sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the touch input comprises receiving a touch drag operation from the touch input interface;

wherein the method further comprises performing at least one of a zooming operation, a rotation operation and a panning operation on a map to generate and display intermediate map regions in order to transition from displaying the first map region to displaying the second map region while receiving the touch drag operation.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the touch input comprises receiving a touch drag operation from the touch input interface,

wherein the method further comprises receiving, from the touch input interface, an indication that the touch drag operation has ended,

wherein said returning to the display is performed in response to receiving the indication.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the touch input comprises receiving a touch drag operation from the touch input interface,

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the touch input interface, an indication that the touch drag operation has ended while displaying a particular intermediate map region; and

in response to receiving the indication, maintaining the display of the particular map region until another touch input is received.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically returning comprises displaying the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and the current location when the device reaches a threshold distance from the first location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically returning comprises displaying the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and the current location when a period of time elapses after starting the display of the second map region.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising keeping a current location indicator at a static position with respect to sides of a display screen of the device while different map regions are displayed on the display screen.

10. A non-transitory machine readable medium for storing a navigation application which when executed by at least one processing unit of a device guides a user through a route by displaying a sequence of navigation maneuvers each associated with a different location on a map, the navigation application comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying a first user interface (UI) item that describes an upcoming first navigation maneuver for a current first location of the device, and a map region that presents the current first location as the device traverses a navigated route;

receiving a touch input through a touch input interface of the device while displaying the first UI item;

in response to receiving the touch input, displaying (i) a second UI item that describes a second navigation maneuver associated with a second location and (ii) a second map region that presents the second location; and

automatically returning to the display of the first UI item and the first map region.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the second map region comprises a set of instructions for performing at least one of a zooming operation, a rotation operation and a panning operation on the map to transition from displaying the first map region to displaying the second map region.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of instructions for performing at least one of a zooming operation, a rotating operation or a panning operation comprises a set of instructions for moving a virtual camera in a virtual space to capture a zoomed, rotated or panned map region.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the second map region comprises rotating the map such that the current location and the second location align vertically with respect to sides of a display screen of the device.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10,

wherein the second map region further includes a third location that is associated with a third navigation maneuver,

wherein the set of instructions for displaying the second map region comprises a set of instructions for rotating the map to make a vector from the third location to the current location point to a top side of a display area of the navigation application when the third navigation maneuver is before the second navigation maneuver and the second navigation maneuver is before the first navigation maneuver in the sequence of navigation maneuvers.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the navigation application further comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving another touch input while displaying the second UI item and the second map region;

displaying a third UI item that describes a third navigation maneuver and a third map region that presents the current location and a third location that is associated with the third navigation maneuver in response to receiving the other touch input.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the third map region comprises a set of instructions for rotating the map to make a vector from the current location to the third location point to a top side of a display area of the navigation application when the third navigation maneuver is after the second navigation maneuver and the second navigation maneuver is after the first navigation maneuver in the sequence of navigation maneuvers.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the navigation application further comprises a set of instructions for displaying said map regions in three dimensions when the route is being navigated by driving.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, the navigation application further comprises a set of instructions for displaying said map regions in two dimensions when the route is traversed by walking.

19. A device comprising:

a display screen;

a touch input interface that processes touch inputs on the display screen;

a set of processing units; and

a machine readable medium storing a navigation application which when executed by at least one processing unit guides a user by displaying a sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions on the display screen, each turn-by-turn navigation instruction associated with a location on a route, the navigation application comprising sets of instructions for;

displaying a turn-by-turn navigation instruction associated with a current location of the device as the device traverses along the route;

receiving a touch input through the touch input interface while displaying a first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a first location associated with the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction;

displaying, in response to receiving the touch input, a second turn-by-turn navigation instruction and a second location associated with the second turn-by-turn navigation instruction; and

automatically returning to the display of the first turn-by-turn navigation instruction and the first location.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the touch input is a swipe on the display screen.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the swipe is substantially vertical with respect to sides of the display screen.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the touch input is a multi-touch input when the route is for driving a car.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the swipe is substantially horizontal with respect to sides of the display screen.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the second navigation instruction is after the first navigation instruction in the sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions when the swipe is a left-to-right swipe.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the second navigation instruction is before the first navigation instruction in the sequence of turn-by-turn navigation instructions when the swipe is a right-to-left swipe.