Mashing mapping content displayed on mobile devices

• US 20150038161A1
• Filed: 08/03/2013
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nearby Systems LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Map Mobile, LLC (James (Jim) Bennett)
• Inventors: Jakobson, Gabriel, Rueben, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mapping addressable information (e.g. locations denoted by name or address, street addresses, landmarks, etc.) off of disparate applications on a mobile device, onto an existing map on the mobile device, are disclosed. An application on a mobile device may display addressable information (e.g. a website displaying a location name and/or address, an email containing an address, etc.) In response to a user'"'"'s selecting the addressable information and invoking a mapping command, a map-display application (e.g. Google Maps® , Yahoo! Maps®, Windows Live Search Maps®, MapQuest®, iPhone® maps, Waze® etc.) may be automatically presented (e.g. launched, become visible, displayed, etc.) displaying the addressable information in addition to at least one prior mapping content previously displayed by the map-display application.

Claims

1. A method for displaying multiple location-based content on a common map on a mobile device, comprising:

providing an electronic mobile device having a map-display application coupled to the internet;

providing a first application, wherein the first application is a map-display application;

displaying location-based content on a digital map displayed by the first application;

providing a second application, wherein the second application contains map-able content;

receiving user input selecting the map-able content;

invoking the first application;

transmitting the map-able content to the first application; and

displaying the map-able content on the digital map of the first application, wherein the map-able content is displayed in addition to the location-based content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the map-able content is a street address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the map-able content is a point-of-interest name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the map-able content on the digital map further includes:

determining geo-location for the map-able content; and

displaying the map-able content on the digital map at the determined geo-location.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

determining additional information related to the map-able content; and

displaying the additional information on the digital map.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional information includes an image.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional information includes user-reviews and/or user-ratings related to the map-able content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the map-able content further includes:

determining the map-able information is outside a visible area of the digital map; and

zooming-out the digital map until the map-able information becomes visible on the digital map.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of invoking the first application further includes a user input selecting an action from an actionable menu displayed by the second application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of transmitting the map-able content to the first application and displaying the map-able content further include:

constructing a search query including the map-able content;

receiving a new set of map-able content resulting from the search query; and

displaying the new set of map-able content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the map-able content on the second application includes a hyperlink.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the hyperlink is used in conjunction with transmitting the map-able content from the second application to the first application when the hyperlink is invoked.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the step of providing a second application, hiding the first application from view of the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein prior to hiding the first application, first saving the location-based content in the first application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to the step of invoking the first application, first retrieving the saved location-based content.

16. A method for combining map-able data onto a single digital map on a smart-phone device, comprising:

providing a smart phone device with connectivity to the internet;

providing a first and a second applications running on an operation system on the smart phone device, wherein the first application is capable of displaying a digital map, and wherein the second application is incapable of displaying a digital map;

presenting to a user the first application;

displaying a first set of map-able data on the digital map of the first application;

presenting to the user the second application;

displaying information in the second application, wherein the information is selectable by the user;

in response to detecting selection of the information by the user, transmitting the information to the first application;

presenting to the user the first application;

determining whether the information includes geo-location data;

if it is determined the information includes geo-location data, displaying the information on the digital map;

or,

if it is determined the information does not include geo-location data, performing a search based on the information;

receiving at least one search result, wherein the at least one search results includes at least one set of geo-location data; and

displaying the at least one search result on the digital map.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information is displayed on the digital map at a physical position associated to its geo-location data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein prior to displaying the first set of map-able data on the digital map of the first application, an initial search query is conducted to derive the first set of map-able data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the selection of the information by the user is via a voice command.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the selection of the information by the user is via a touch command.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the information selectable by the user is hyperlinked.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the geo-location data includes at least one longitude value and one latitude value.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the search based on the information includes submitting a query to a search engine;

receiving the at least one search result, wherein the at least one search result includes at least on geo-location data; and

displaying the at least one search result on the digital map, at a position on the digital map corresponding to the geo-location data.

24. The method of claim 16, further including:

detecting the geo-location data of the information is outside a visible portion of the digital map;

calculating a new zoom-level for the digital map, wherein the new zoom-level allows both the first set of map-able data and the information to be visible on the digital map;

zooming out the digital map to the new zoom-level.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of:

the first set of map-able data and/or the selected information contains advertising.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the second application is a social network.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the selected information contains event information associated with the social network.