Stackable icons

• US 8,555,203 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Jin, Zhiying, Yin, Fenglin, Walker, Sharon Marie, Stelling, Jennifer Logan, Philbin, David A., Karis, Demetrios, Moon, Hannah Y., Smith, William Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): England, Sara
• Assistant Examiner(s): BADAWI, ANGIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/872,266
• Time in Patent Office: 3,399 Days
• Field of Search: 715/835, 715/851, 715/790, 715/837, 715/839, 340/995.24
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) includes an icon stack comprising a plurality of icons in an area within the GUI, whereby the icons overlap. The GUI further includes at least one interstitial navigation box that is capable of displaying information about at least one item associated with one of the icons.

Claims

1. A computing device that includes a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:

an icon stack comprising a plurality of icons in an area within the GUI, wherein;

the area comprises a map image,

each icon is displayed according to a physical location of an associated item as represented by a position on the map image, and

the icons are displayed in an icon stack such that at least one of the icons partially overlaps at least one other icon if virtual circles for respective icons overlap, each virtual circle relating to one of the icons by either (1) being co-terminus with the icon if the icon is a circle, or, (2) if the icon is not a circle, having a radius extending from a center to a corner of an icon from which the virtual circle is drawn; and

at least one interstitial navigation box that identifies an item associated with a respective one and only one of the icons.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the interstitial navigation box is capable of displaying information about a plurality of icons.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the interstitial navigation box is capable of displaying information about each of the icons.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one overlay box that is capable of displaying information about the item in addition to the information that is displayed in the interstitial navigation box.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the overlay box is displayed in the GUI when the item listed in the interstitial navigation box is indicated by input to the GUI.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the interstitial navigation box is displayed when the icon stack is indicated by input to the GUI.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the item is a business.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the interstitial navigation box includes a statement of a number of icons in the icon stack.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the interstitial navigation box is capable of containing a specified number of icons.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the number of icons in the icon stack exceeds the specified number of icons and the at least one interstitial navigation box comprises a plurality of interstitial navigation boxes.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein each of the interstitial navigation boxes comprises at least one navigation control for navigating to at least one other interstitial navigation box.

12. A method for displaying stackable icons in a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

displaying a plurality of icons in an area in the GUI, wherein;

the area comprises a map image,

each icon is displayed according to a physical location of an associated item as represented by a position on the map image, and

an icon stack is created in which the icons are displayed such that at least one of the icons partially overlaps at least one other icon if virtual circles for respective icons overlap, each virtual circle relating to one of the icons by either (1) being co-terminus with the icon if the icon is a circle, or, (2) if the icon is not a circle, having a radius extending from a center to a corner of an icon from which the virtual circle is drawn; and

displaying an interstitial navigation box that identifies an item associated with a respective one and only one of the icons.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying in the interstitial navigation box information about a plurality of icons.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying in the interstitial navigation box information about each of the icons.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying at least one overlay box that is capable of displaying information about an item associated with one of the plurality of icons in addition to the information that is displayed in the interstitial navigation box.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising the further steps of indicating the item listed in the interstitial box through input to the GUI;

and displaying the overlay box in response to said indicating step.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the item is a business.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the interstitial navigation box includes a statement of a number of icons in the icon stack.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the interstitial navigation box is capable of containing a specified number of icons.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the number of icons in the icon stack exceeding the specified number of icons and the at least one interstitial navigation box including a plurality of interstitial navigation boxes.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the interstitial navigation boxes comprises at least one navigation control for navigating to at least one other interstitial navigation box.