Method and system for displaying social networking navigation information

• US 8,014,943 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gabriel Jakobson
• Inventors: Jakobson, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US12/291,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20090281719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/211, 701/208, 701/212, 701/213, 340/995.14, 340/995.21, 340/995.27, 715/785, 715/764
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A mapping system associated with a social network includes determining that a social networking map object (“MO”) is outside a visible area of a map displayed; calculating the direction, distance and travel-time to the MO (e.g. a social network member, a location, a meeting place, etc.), creating an object vector indicator (“OVI”) and displaying the OVI on a map-display application. The OVI may be displayed on the periphery of the displayed map and may be positioned in the general direction of the MO. The position of the electronic device, as well as a current position of the MO, are factored into the calculations and placement of the OVI. The OVI may include a graphical representation, obtained from the social network, of the MO it references.

Claims

1. A method for displaying object vector indicators (“

OVI”

) referencing social-network map-objects (“

MO”

) on an electronic map, comprising;

providing an electronic device having a map-display application that is coupled to a mapping service, a social-network and a display for displaying a selected area of the electronic map;

authenticating to the social network;

obtaining from the social network the MO;

determining that coordinates of the MO are not within the selected area of the electronic map;

computing distance and travel-related information from a location within the selected area of the electronic map to the MO;

computing a placement position of an OVI referencing the MO on the map-display application;

creating the OVI containing the distance and travel-related information;

displaying the OVI on the display at the computed placement position;

receiving user input selecting the OVI;

displaying a secondary area of the electronic map, wherein the secondary area is a region of the electronic map centered approximately around the MO; and

displaying the MO approximately at the center of the secondary area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is the center of the selected area of the electronic map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is a location marker.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location marker is retrieved from the social network.

5. The method of claim 4, further including retrieving from the social network location information associated with a user of the social network, wherein the location market is related to the retrieved location information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the MO.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing the distance-and-travel information includes at least one of the following:

an aerial distance to the MO, a travel distance to the MO, a visual indicator pointing in the direction of the MO, and an estimated travel-time to the MO.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the travel-distance to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the estimated travel-time to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the received user input is result of the user touching the display at a location of the display approximately corresponding to the OVI displayed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the MO obtained from the social network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step and the computing the placement position of the OVI step are repeated in response to a change in travel conditions.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step further comprises:

obtaining position of the electronic device;

transmitting the position of the electronic device to a remote server; and

receiving from the remote server the distance-and-travel information.

16. The method of claim 1, further including:

computing distance and travel-related information from the OVI to the selected area of the electronic map;

computing a placement position of a second OVI referencing the selected area of the electronic map;

creating the second OVI including the distance and travel-related information;

displaying the second OVI on the display at the computed placement position.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a GPS-enabled navigation unit.

18. A method of panning a social-network-based electronic map, comprising:

authenticating to a social network;

requesting a list of map objects (“

MOs”

) from the social network;

receiving the list of MOs from the social network;

determining the geographic coordinates of the MOs; and

determining that the MOs are outside bounds of a first area of the map visible to a user;

creating an object vector indicator (“

OVI”

) for each of the MOs;

displaying the OVIs on the electronic map;

receiving user input selecting one of the OVIs;

determining one of the MOs referenced by the selected OVI;

panning the electronic map to display a secondary area of the map, wherein the secondary area is a region of the electronic map encompassing the determined one of the MOs; and

wherein the determined one of the MOs is approximately at the center of the secondary area.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising animating the panning transition of the electronic map from displaying the first area to displaying the secondary area, wherein the animation includes the steps of

a. defining a number of animation steps;

b. defining a time delay;

c. defining a small travel distance;

d. determining a path between the determined one of the MOs and an approximate center of the first area of the map;

e. panning the map by the small travel distance in the direction of the determined one of the MOs;

f. waiting an amount of time specified by the time delay;

wherein the steps e-f are repeated until the determined one of the MOs is approximately at the center of the displayed secondary map.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein creating an OVI includes calculating a distance, a direction and a travel time from a point in the first area of the map to the location of the MO.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the point in the first area of the map corresponds to the location of the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of panning the map by a small interval further includes:

defining a travel route; and

panning the map along the defined travel route.

23. A method for creating and displaying an object vector indicator (“

OVI”

) on an electronic map of a global navigation system (“

GPS”

) device, connected to a social network, comprising;

a) providing the GPS device having a map display application that is coupled to the social network and a display for displaying a portion of the electronic map;

b) receiving coordinates of the GPS device;

c) receiving information on a map-object (“

MO”

);

d) determining coordinates of the MO from the received information;

e) determining a range of coordinates inclusive of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

f) calculating that the coordinates of the MO are not within the range of coordinates of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

g) creating the OVI to reference the MO;

h) calculating the placement of the OVI on the display;

i) displaying the OVI on the display;

j) receiving user input selecting the OVI; and

k) panning the electronic map such that the MO is displayed approximately at the center of the electronic map.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of creating the OVI includes:

calculating the direction, distance and travel-time from the position of the electronic device to the MO; and

including the calculated data in the OVI.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

changing at least one of GPS coordinates of the GPS device;

MO information;

a zoom-level of the electronic map.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the social network is capable of providing mapping information.