Map display system and method

• US 7,522,996 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Location Based Services, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Lord, Robert W., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US11/124,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20060247853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,452 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/209, 701/210, 701/207, 701/201, 701/208, 340/995.14, 340/995.19
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers

Abstract

Provided is a computer system and methods related to a map display. A method includes but is not limited to receiving a request for the map, the map illustrating one or more locations; determining a status associated with at least one of the one or more locations on the map, the status being a function of one or more location interaction rules associated with the at least one of the one or more locations on the map; and generating a signal related to indicating on the map the status associated with the at least one of the one or more locations.

Claims

1. A method for providing map-related data, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a map display illustrating information relative to one or more locations in a predetermined area;

determining a status associated with at least one of the locations on the map display, the status being a function of one or more location interaction rules associated with at least one of the locations on the map display; and

generating a signal to indicating on the map display the status regarding a permitted traverse or visit that is allowed under an applicable location interaction rule associated with the at least one of the locations on the map display.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

periodically updating the status associated with the at least one of the locations; and

generating a signal related to indicating on the map display an updated status associated with the at least one of the locations.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the periodically updating the status associated with the at least one of the locations includes:

receiving data from one or more monitoring devices capable of determining a user interaction with the at least one of the locations on the map display.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the periodically updating the status includes:

periodically updating the status in accordance with one or more location interaction rules verifiable via one or more monitoring devices; and

providing one or more icons representing one or more locations on the map, the one or more location interaction rules determining one or more of an obfuscation of the one or more icons and/or an activation of metadata associated with the one or more locations on the map.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the periodically updating the status includes:

interacting with one or more monitoring devices to alter the map display as a function of the location interaction rules as modified by one or more user interaction rules associated with the individual user or group of users.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a copy of the map to a separate location independent of a user of the map display.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving the request for the map display includes:

receiving an identifier associated with a user in a predefined area, the identifier also associated with one or more applicable user interaction rules regarding the permitted traverse or visit by the user for the at least one of the locations on the map display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the receiving the identifier associated with the one or more applicable user interaction rules includes:

receiving the identifier regarding one or more of a time limit and/or a minimum number of visits and/or a maximum number of visits permitted for the user at the at least one of the locations on the map display.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

providing an indication shown on the map display related to whether one or more user interaction rules associated with the identifier affect the map.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining a status associated with the at least one of the locations on the map display includes:

matching an identifier associated with the request for the map display with a data store entry in a data store, the data store entry providing one or more user interaction rules; and

correlating the one or more user interaction rules with the one or more location interaction rules based on data received by one or more monitoring devices associated with the at least one of the locations on the map display.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the correlating the one or more user interaction rules includes:

determining via the data received by the one or more monitoring devices whether the user of the map display has violated one or more of the user interaction rules and/or location interaction rules.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving a request for the map display includes:

receiving the request via one or more of a wireless connection and/or a wired connection, the wireless connection including one or more of a wireless LAN (WLAN), an IEEE 802.11, a Bluetooth, and/or a satellite connection.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating a signal to indicate on the map the status includes:

generating the signal related to obfuscating a visual representation of the at least one of the locations on the map as a function of the status of such location.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the generating the signal related to obfuscating the visual representation includes:

generating a signal related to blurring and/or unblurring an icon representing the at least one location on the map display if such location has been visited by a user.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating a signal to indicate on the map display the status includes:

generating the signal related to indicating on the map display a progress indication relating to a motivator for a user of the map display.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating a signal to indicate on the map display the status includes:

generating the signal related to highlighting the at least one of the locations on the map display, the highlighting indicative of one or more locations the user is to next visit on the map display.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a signal to indicate on the map display the status includes:

generating the signal related to displaying one or more overlays on the map display to represent a traffic condition for one or more locations in the predetermined area.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a signal to indicate on the map display the status includes:

generating a signal related to displaying an overlay with respect to one or more locations in the predetermined area that indicate a lack of information pertaining to the status of the one or more locations; and

generating a signal related to displaying map-related data independent of an overlay for those locations about which additional information is known.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a signal bearing computer-readable medium bearing

one or more instructions for receiving a request for a map illustrating data information regarding one or more locations in a predefined area,

one or more instructions for determining a status associated with at least one of the locations on the map, the status being a function of one or more location interaction rules correlated with one or more user interaction rules applicable to a permitted traverse or visit by an individual user or group of users to least one of the locations on the map, and

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to indicating the status in accordance with a specific interaction rule associated with the at least one of the locations on the map.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a computer-readable recordable medium.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a computer-readable transmission medium.

22. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

one or more instructions for periodically updating the status in accordance with the specific interaction rule associated with the at least one of the one or more locations; and

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to indicating on the map an updated status in accordance with the specific interaction rule associated with the at least one of the one or more locations.

23. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

one or more instructions for maintaining a copy of the map at a location independent of a user of the map.

24. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving a request for the map includes:

one or more instructions for receiving an identifier associated with a user in the predefined area, the identifier associated with the one or more user interaction rules for the at least one location of the one or more locations on the map.

25. The computer program product of claim 24 wherein the computer program product further includes:

one or more instructions for receiving an identifier associated with an interaction rule that includes a time limit at the at least one location, and/or a minimum number of user visits and/or maximum number of user visits permitted for the at least one location.

26. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more instructions for determining a status includes:

one or more instructions for matching an identifier associated with the request for the map with a data store entry in a data store, the data store entry providing one or more user interaction rules; and

one or more instructions for correlating the one or more user interaction rules with the one or more location interaction rules for the at least one of the one or more locations on the map with data received by one or more monitoring devices associated with the at least one of the one or more locations on the map.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the one or more instructions for correlating the one or more user interaction rules with the one or more location interaction rules includes:

one or more instructions for determining via the data received by the one or more monitoring devices whether the user of the map has violated one or more of the user interaction rules and/or location interaction rules.

28. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more instructions for generating a signal related to indicating the status includes:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to illustrating location detail for the at least one of the one or more locations, the location detail shown being a function of the status.

29. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the instructions for generating a signal related to indicating the status includes:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to obfuscating a visual representation of the at least one location on the map as a function of the status of such location.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein the one or more instructions for obfuscating the visual representation include:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to blurring and/or unblurring an icon representing the at least one location on the map if the location has been visited by a user.

31. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more instructions for generating a signal related to indicating the status includes:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to highlighting the at least one location on the map, the highlighting indicative of one or more locations the user is to next visit on the map.

32. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more instructions for generating a signal related to indicating the status includes:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to displaying one or more overlays on the map to represent a traffic condition for one or more locations in the predetermined area.

33. The computer program product of claim 32 wherein the one or more instructions for generating a signal related to displaying one or more overlays on the map to represent a traffic condition for one or more locations in the predetermined area includes:

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to displaying an overlay with respect to one or more locations in the predetermined area that indicate a lack of information pertaining to the one or more locations; and

one or more instructions for generating a signal related to displaying data independent of an overlay for those locations about which additional information is known.