OPTIMAL ZOOM INDICATORS FOR MAP SEARCH RESULTS

• US 20140372217A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seacat DeLuca, Lisa, Do, Lydia M., Kinard, Charles M.
• Application Number:
  US13/917,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140372217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for indicating an optimal magnification level for displaying search query results in a mapping application running in a computer device. The method comprises: obtaining search results for a business or category of interest in a geographical area; determining the search results to be displayed within a mapping application; determining an optimal magnification level corresponding to a search result; generating a magnification indicator for indicating an optimal magnification level for the search result to be displayed within the mapping application; and adjusting the display within the mapping application to change to the determined optimal magnification level responsive to selecting the magnification indicator for that search result.

Claims

1. A method for a mapping application running on a computer device comprising:

obtaining search results for a business or category of interest in a geographical area;

determining the search results to be displayed within a mapping application;

determining an optimal magnification level corresponding to a search result;

generating a magnification indicator for indicating an optimal magnification level for the search result to be displayed within the mapping application; and

adjusting the display within the mapping application to change to the determined optimal magnification level responsive to selecting the magnification indicator for that search result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping application provides a display area for search results that includes:

a text portion configured to display textual data, a map portion configured to display mapping data, or both text portion and map portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated magnification indicator comprises one of:

a user selectable link of the optimal magnification level; and

a label describing a zoom level value for the optimal magnification level.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

annotating the display of a mapping application with a generated magnification level indicator for each search result in a text portion, map portion, or both text portion and map portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said annotating said display of said mapping application in said map portion with a generated magnification level indicator includes annotating an interactive magnification tool configured for selecting a zoom level of magnification for search results displayed on said map portion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said annotating said interactive magnification tool comprises:

annotating said interactive magnification tool with a first optimal magnification level indicator corresponding to a first search result displayed in said text search results portion, and a second optimal magnification level indicator corresponding to a further search result displayed in said text results portion, wherein said first optimal indicator and second optimal indicator are displayed at respective different zoom level settings.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a generated magnification level indicator indicates one or more of:

a text name of a business or location of interest searched, a corresponding location, a corresponding number of hits for results at that magnification level, a link to an advertisement associated with a business, or a link to a coupon associated with goods or services available at said business.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining said search results to be displayed includes:

determining an amount of advertising revenue received from one or more business entities desirous of having search hit results for that business displayed by said mapping application; and

selecting said one or more search results to be displayed based on said advertising revenue received.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein responsive to a selection of a magnification level via said displayed interactive magnification tool, said method comprises:

generating a magnification level indicator for indicating said selected magnification level;

annotating one or more textual search results at said displayed search results text portion with its corresponding generated magnification level indicator; and

populating said displayed search results map portion with objects corresponding to search results optimally viewed via said display at said user selected a magnification level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating for display, a previous search results list view indicating prior textual search results data displayed in association with a prior selected optimal magnification level.

11-23. -23. (canceled)