SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS

• US 20150254277A1
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Campbell, Taj J., Katayama, Madoka
• Application Number:
  US14/636,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20150254277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location

Abstract

A method for providing interactive geographic content via a user interface includes receiving a description of several geographic areas of different sizes and determining, for each of the geographic areas, travel time between the geographic area and a current location of a user. The method also includes displaying individually selectable indicators, each representing a respective one of the geographic areas. Displaying the indicators includes arranging the indicators relative to a point corresponding to the current location, at distances determined based on the corresponding travel times. In response to an indication that one of the indicators has been selected, the method includes displaying geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive geographic content via a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a description of a plurality of geographic areas of different sizes;

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for each of the plurality of geographic areas, determining, by the one or more processors, a respective travel time between the geographic area and a current location of a user;

displaying a plurality of individually selectable indicators, each representing a respective one of the plurality of geographic areas, including arranging the indicators relative to a point corresponding to the current location, at distances determined based on the corresponding travel times; and

in response to an indication that one of the indicators has been selected, displaying geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the indicators relative to the point includes:

organizing, by the one or more processors, the plurality of indicators into several groups based on the travel times, and

displaying the plurality of indicators in positions within a set of two or more concentric rings, wherein each of the groups corresponds to a different ring.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating a corner of a screen with the point corresponding to the current location, and

centering, by one or more processors, the set of concentric rings at the corner of the screen.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

for each group of indicators;

ranking the corresponding geographic areas based on the available geographic information;

arranging the selectable indicators along an inner circumference of the corresponding ring in an order based on the ranking.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

illustrating boundaries between adjacent rings, and

displaying a respective indicator of travel time for each of the rings.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the travel time between a geographic area and the current location of a user includes:

receiving, by the one or more processors, an indication of a geographic location within the geographic area, and

determining the travel time between the geographic location and the current location;

wherein the indicated geographic location corresponds to one of (i) a landmark, (ii) a transportation hub, or (iii) a centroid of the geographic area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area includes displaying a list of selectable items, each describing one of (i) an automatic suggestion, (ii) an offer, (iii) a coupon, or (iv) an advertisement.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying, along with the geographic information related to the geographic area, a selectable current location indicator that represents the current location; and

in response to the current location indicator being selected, re-activating the display of the plurality of individually selectable indicators representing the plurality of geographic areas.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of geographic areas is organized around one of (i) a neighborhood name, (ii) a popular landmark, (iii) a personal landmark specific to the user.

10. A user device comprising:

a display device;

a communication interface; and

processing hardware coupled to the display device and the communication interface, the processing hardware configured to;

receive a description of a plurality of geographic areas of different sizes,

for each of the plurality of geographic areas, determine a respective travel time between the geographic area and a reference location,

display a plurality of individually selectable indicators on the display device, each representing a respective one of the plurality of geographic areas, arranged relative to a point on the display device corresponding to the reference location, at distances determined based on the corresponding travel times, and

in response to one of the plurality of indicators being selected, display geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area.

11. The user device of claim 10, wherein to arrange the plurality of indicators relative to the point, the processing hardware is configured to:

organize the plurality of indicators into several groups based on the travel times, and

display the plurality of indicators in positions within a set of two or more concentric rings, wherein each of the groups corresponds to a different ring.

12. The user device of claim 11, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to:

illustrate boundaries between adjacent rings, and

display a respective indicator of travel time for each of the rings.

13. The user device of claim 10, wherein user device is a mobile device, and wherein the reference location is a current location of the mobile device.

14. The user device of claim 13, wherein to determine the travel time between a geographic area and the current location of the mobile device includes:

select a geographic location within the geographic area, and

determine the travel time between the geographic location and the current location;

wherein the indicated geographic location corresponds to one of (i) a landmark, (ii) a transportation hub, or (iii) a centroid of the geographic area

15. The user device of claim 10, wherein to display geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area, the processing hardware is configured to display a list of selectable items, each describing one of (i) an automatic suggestion, (ii) an offer, (iii) a coupon, or (iv) an advertisement.

16. A method for providing interactive geographic content via a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a description of a plurality of geographic areas of different sizes, each organized around a respective commonality;

for each of the plurality of geographic areas, determining, by the one or more processors, a metric indicative of one of (i) a distance between a reference location and the geographic area or (ii) travel time between the reference location and the geographic area; and

displaying a plurality of individually selectable indicators, each representing a respective one of the plurality of geographic areas, within multiple demarcated concentric ring sectors centered around an indication of the reference location, each of the ring sectors having an inner radius and an outer radius corresponding to a lower boundary and a higher boundary, respectively;

including selecting, for each of the plurality of indicators, one of the concentric ring sectors so that the metric of the corresponding geographic area is between the lower boundary and the higher boundary of the ring sector.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, in response to one of the indicators being selected:

removing the display of the plurality of indicators, and

displaying geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying geographic information related to the corresponding geographic area includes displaying a list of selectable items, each describing one of (i) an automatic suggestion, (ii) an offer, (iii) a coupon, or (iv) an advertisement.

19. The method of claim 16, displaying a respective indicator of travel time for each of the ring sectors.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the commonality includes one of (i) a neighborhood, (ii) a popular landmark, (iii) a personal landmark specific to the user.