Visual aid for assisting a user in interpreting a digital map
First Claim
1. A method, using physical data processing functionality, for assisting a user in interpreting a digital map, comprising:
- providing a current map bounding region (MBR) in response to a selection from the user, the MBR representing a portion of the digital map;
determining a placement of the MBR with respect to an inaccurate location region (ILR) to provide relationship information, the ILR defining a spatial extent of indeterminacy with respect to a current location of the user;
determining whether it is appropriate to provide a visual aid to the user based on the relationship information;
generating the visual aid if it is deemed appropriate to provide the visual aid; and
displaying the visual aid on the digital map, the visual aid assisting the user in assessing a relation of the MBR to a center point of the ILR,wherein said determining of the placement of the MBR comprises determining whether the MBR is entirely enclosed within the ILR.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A visual aid determination module (VADM) is described for presenting a visual aid that helps a user in interpreting a digital map. Namely, the visual aid helps the user in interpreting the relation of a currently-displayed map bounding region (MBR) to a center point of an inaccurate location region (ILR). The ILR, in turn, conveys a range of indeterminacy associated with a currently-assessed location of the user. In one case, the visual aid corresponds to a series of concentric circles. The curvature, placement, and spacing of the circles help the user determine his or her bearing with respect to the center point of the ILR.
6 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method, using physical data processing functionality, for assisting a user in interpreting a digital map, comprising:
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providing a current map bounding region (MBR) in response to a selection from the user, the MBR representing a portion of the digital map; determining a placement of the MBR with respect to an inaccurate location region (ILR) to provide relationship information, the ILR defining a spatial extent of indeterminacy with respect to a current location of the user; determining whether it is appropriate to provide a visual aid to the user based on the relationship information; generating the visual aid if it is deemed appropriate to provide the visual aid; and displaying the visual aid on the digital map, the visual aid assisting the user in assessing a relation of the MBR to a center point of the ILR, wherein said determining of the placement of the MBR comprises determining whether the MBR is entirely enclosed within the ILR. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, using physical data processing functionality, for assisting a user in interpreting a digital map, comprising:
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providing a current map bounding region (MBR) in response to a selection from the user, the MBR representing a portion of the digital map; determining a placement of the MBR with respect to an inaccurate location region (ILR) to provide relationship information, the ILR defining a spatial extent of indeterminacy with respect to a current location of the user; determining whether it is appropriate to provide a visual aid to the user based on the relationship information; generating the visual aid if it is deemed appropriate to provide the visual aid; and displaying the visual aid on the digital map, the visual aid assisting the user in assessing a relation of the MBR to a center point of the ILR, wherein said determining of the placement of the MBR comprises determining whether the MBR is entirely enclosed within the ILR, wherein said generating of the visual aid comprises generating a series of concentric circles, and wherein said generating comprises generating a same number of concentric circles regardless of the relation of the MBR to the center point of the ILR. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A wireless mobile computing device comprising a map system configured to assist a user in interpreting a digital map, comprising:
a map presentation module configured to display a current map bounding region (MBR) in response to a selection from the user, the MBR representing a portion of the digital map, the map presentation module including a visual aid presentation module, comprising; logic configured to determine a placement of the MBR with respect to an inaccurate location region (ILR) to provide relationship information, the ILR defining a spatial extent of indeterminacy with respect to a current location of the user; logic configured to generate a visual aid based on the relationship information; and logic configured to display the visual aid on the digital map, the visual aid assisting the user in assessing a relation of the MBR to a center point of the ILR when the center point is not displayed on the MBR.
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16. A physical and tangible computer readable medium for storing computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions providing a visual aid presentation module when executed by one or more processing devices, the computer readable instructions comprising:
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logic configured to determine a placement of a map bounding region (MBR) with respect to an inaccurate location region (ILR) to provide relationship information, the MBR representing a portion of a digital map, and the ILR defining a spatial extent of indeterminacy with respect to a current location of the user; logic configured to generate a visual aid based on the relationship information, the visual aid comprising a series N concentric circles that are placed with respect to a center point of the ILR; logic configured to display the visual aid on the digital map, the visual aid assisting the user in assessing a relation of the MBR to a center point of the ILR, and logic configured to determine whether it is appropriate to provide the visual aid, said logic configured to determine whether it is appropriate comprising; logic configured to identify a radius of the ILR and the center point of the ILR; logic configured to identify corner positions of the MBR; logic configured to determine distances from the corner points to the center point of the ILR; and logic configured to determine whether the radius of the ILR is larger than all of the distances, indicating that the MBR is entirely enclosed by the ILR, and hence indicating that it is appropriate to provide the visual aid. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification