Method of Automatically Moving a Cursor Within a Map Viewport and a Device Incorporating the Method

• US 20150185873A1
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Ofstad, Andrew, Leong, Su Chuin
• Granted Patent: US 9,213,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• 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: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for automatically moving a cursor within a map viewport. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods that determine a location of various objects within a 3D scene displayed within a map viewport and determining a location of a 3D cursor within the 3D scene. When a distance between an object location and the 3D cursor location is less than a threshold distance, the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor is automatically modified to at least partially surround the object. The location of the object may be determined based on data representative of the 3D scene. The location of the 3D cursor may be determined based on data representative of the 3D cursor location.

Claims

1. A method to automatically move a 3D cursor within a 3D scene displayed within a map viewport on a client computing device, the method comprising:

receiving data representative of a 3D scene via a computer network, wherein the 3D scene comprises at least one object, the object including location data and image data, wherein the object is configured to convey information to a user;

determining an object location within the 3D scene based on the received data;

determining a 3D cursor location within the 3D scene based on 3D cursor location data;

determining a distance between the object location and the 3D cursor location within the 3D scene;

determining that the distance is less than a threshold distance; and

automatically modifying geometric shape data of the 3D cursor displayed within the map viewport to surround the object in response to determining that the distance between the object location and the 3D cursor location is less than the threshold distance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the modified 3D cursor geometric shape data surrounds a surface of the object to which the display within the map viewport will move when a user actuates a corresponding cursor positioning device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the object within the 3D scene from automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising informing a user that actuating a corresponding cursor positioning device will display a different view of the object within the map viewport from automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising superimposing a semi-transparent display of the object over a display of the 3D scene prior to a display of the object replacing the 3D scene display subsequent to automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an indication that additional views of the object are available subsequent to automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

7. A computing device configured to automatically move a 3D cursor within a 3D scene displayed within a map viewport on a computing device, the computing device comprising:

a cursor positioning device;

a first routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, receive data representative of a 3D scene via a computer network, wherein the 3D scene comprises a plurality of objects, the objects including location data and image data;

a second routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, determines an object location within the 3D scene based on the received data;

a third routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, determines a 3D cursor location within the 3D scene based on 3D cursor location data;

a fourth routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, determines a distance between the object location and the 3D cursor location within the 3D scene;

a fifth routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, determines that the distance is less than a threshold distance as the cursor positioning device positions the 3D cursor within the 3D scene; and

a sixth routine stored on a memory including instructions that, when executed on a processor, automatically modifies geometric shape data of the 3D cursor within the 3D map viewport to at least partially surround the identified object in response to determining that the distance between the 3D cursor location and the object location is less than the threshold distance.

8. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the cursor positioning device is a 2D cursor positioning device.

9. The computing device of claim 7 further comprising automatically orienting the 3D cursor to a surface of the object to which the display within the map viewport will move when a user actuates the cursor positioning device.

10. The computing device of claim 7 wherein modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor identifies the object within the 3D scene.

11. The computing device of claim 7 further comprising indicating to a user that actuating the cursor positioning device will display a different view of the object within the map viewport from automatically modifying geometric data of the 3D cursor.

12. The computing device of claim 7 further comprising superimposing a semi-transparent display of a view of the object over the display of the 3D scene prior to a display of the object replacing the 3D scene display subsequent to automatically modifying geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

13. The computing device of claim 7 further comprising providing an indication that additional views of the object are available subsequent to automatically modifying geometric data of the 3D cursor.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for automatically moving a 3D cursor within a 3D scene displayed within a map viewport on a client computing device, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

a first routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to receive data representative of a 3D scene via a computer network, wherein the 3D scene includes an object, the objects including location data and image data;

a second routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to determine an object location within the 3D scene based on the received data;

a third routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to determine a 3D cursor location within the 3D scene based on 3D cursor location data;

a fourth routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to determine a distance between the object location and the 3D cursor location within the 3D scene;

a fifth routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to determine that the distance is less than a threshold distance as the cursor positioning device positions the 3D cursor within the 3D scene; and

a sixth routine including instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the client computing device to automatically modify geometric shape data of the 3D cursor within the 3D map viewport to at least partially surround the object in response to determining that the distance between the 3D cursor location and the object location is less than the threshold distance.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as in claim 14 wherein the 3D cursor comprises an arrow shaped object and a semi-transparent geometric shape.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions to automatically orient the 3D cursor to a surface of the object to which the display within the map viewport will move when a user actuates the cursor positioning device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions to identify the object within the 3D scene from automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions to indicate that actuating a corresponding cursor positioning device will display a different view of the object within the map viewport from modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions to superimpose a semi-transparent display of the object over a display of the 3D scene prior to a display of the object replacing the 3D scene display subsequent to automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions to provide an indication that additional views of the object are available subsequent to automatically modifying the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor.