ORIENTATION ZOOM IN NAVIGATION MAPS WHEN DISPLAYED ON SMALL SCREENS

• US 20160055769A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: ANGELESCU, Emanuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,152,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3676 Overview of the route on the road map
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A method and an apparatus facilitate the orientation of a user in a virtual environment. This involves a user initiating a change between two views of the virtual environment. A first view provides a detailed representation of a destination and a second view is scaled such that both the destination and a reference point, such as a current position, are presented together.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method for orienting a user, comprising:

presenting a display of a virtual environment on a display;

receiving information on a user-stipulated reference point in the virtual environment;

receiving a specific manipulation from the user to change a scale for representing the virtual environment; and

performing a direct change between at least two views of the virtual environment on the display, the change between views being performed when the specific manipulation is received from the user, the at least two views of the virtual environment including a first view, the first view being a view of the reference point in the virtual environment, the first view displaying the reference point on a fixed scale.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the method further comprises setting a destination,

in addition to the first view, the at least two views of the virtual environment include a second view,

the first view is scaled with the fixed scale so as to provide an overview of the reference point, and

the second view is scaled so as to provide an overview that includes the reference point, the destination and an overall area that lies between the reference point and the destination.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the display is a motor vehicle display, and

the specific manipulation is received by at least one input device of the motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein in changing between the at least two views, the scaling is automatically set without a zoom or scroll input from the user.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first view displays the reference point on a fixed scale with preset fixed degrees of latitude and longitude.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the display comprises a touch-sensitive input panel, and

the specific manipulation from the user comprises a double-tapping on the touch-sensitive input panel.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reference point is a current position on a planned route.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reference point is a starting point on a planned route.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the information on the user stipulated reference point is received from the user on an input device, and

the reference point is an arbitrary point freely selected by the user.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the reference point is a point outside of a planned route.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein

the user selects a plurality of reference points,

the method further comprises setting a destination,

in addition to the first view, the at least two views of the virtual environment include a second view,

the first view is scaled with the fixed scale so as to provide an overview of the reference point, and

the second view is scaled so as to provide an overview that includes the plurality of reference points, the destination and an overall area that lies between the plurality of reference points and the destination.

23. The method according to claim 12, wherein

at least one input device is used to receive the user input to select the reference point and to receive the specific manipulation from the user, and

the at least one input device is selected for the group consisting of a touch-sensitive display screen, a touch-sensitive touchpad, a gesture recognition system, a voice recognition system and a rotary and push mechanical apparatus.

24. An apparatus for unrestricted exploration of a virtual environment, comprising:

a display;

a computation unit connected to the display;

a touch-sensitive sensor to sense a user input that is in operative contact with the display; and

a computation unit connected to the display to cause the display to change directly between at least two different views of the virtual environment based on the user input, the at least two views of the virtual environment including a first view, the first view being a view of a reference point in the virtual environment, the first view displaying the reference point on a preset fixed scale, the reference point being stipulated by the user.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the apparatus is embodied as a navigation appliance.