Interactive virtual weather map

• US 8,872,846 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DTN, LLC (TBG AG)
• Original Assignee: Weather Channel LLC (CF Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kew, Matthew E., Wendkos, Eli, Badenell, Jon, Dement, Casey A., Brown, Cameron
• Primary Examiner(s): Martello, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/315,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

An interactive map may be provided. The map may include weather information such as temperature information, precipitation information, radar information, or the like, street information such as road information, traffic information, or the like, and/or advertising information for a particular area that may be chosen by the user. The map may also display information related to points of interest such as schools, golf courses, entertainment, or the like that may be chosen by the user. The map may be dynamic such that the weather information, street information, and/or advertising information may be dynamically updated on the map.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive map to a user via a computing system, the method comprising:

receiving a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a base map and the second layer comprises dynamic information;

providing the second layer over the first layer, wherein the second layer is opaque over the first layer; and

displaying an interface comprising the first layer and the second layer, wherein the dynamic information of the second layer is suspended in response to at least a portion of a new first layer being received, wherein the interface includes a user interface element configured to adjust a level of transparency of he second layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic information comprises weather information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the weather information comprises at least one of the following:

radar information, precipitation information, and cloud information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third layer, wherein the third layer comprises points of interest.

5. The method of claim4, wherein the displayed interface further comprises the third layer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing the third layer over the first layer, wherein the third layer comprises a visual indication of the point of interest over the first layer, and wherein the second layer is provided over the first layer and the third layer.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing the third layer over the first layer and the second layer, wherein the third layer comprises a visual indication of the point of interest over the first layer and the second layer.

8. A method for generating tiles in an interactive map presented to a user via a computing system, the method comprising:

displaying a base map within a viewport, wherein the base map comprises a first plurality of tiles stored in an array having a size corresponding to a size of the viewport;

providing a transparency option configured to adjust a transparency of one or more of the base map or individual tiles associated with the base map;

providing a pan option configured to be used to interact with the base map displayed in the viewport;

receiving a selection of the pan option;

exposing a blank portion in the viewport based on the received selection of the pan option by discarding one or more of the first plurality of tiles from the array;

generating a new tile associated with each of the one or more of the first plurality of tiles that were discarded to replace the blank portion in the viewport; and

rendering the new tile associated with each of the one or more of the first plurality of tiles that were discarded within the viewport.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising panning the base map within the viewport in a direction associated with the selection of the pan option, wherein the blank portion is exposed in the direction the base map is being panned based on the selection of the pan option.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying weather information over the base map within the viewport, wherein the weather information comprises a second plurality of tiles.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a new weather the associated with the second plurality of tiles is generated to replace the blank portion in the viewport;

and wherein the new weather the of the plurality of tiles is rendered within the viewport.

12. A method for generating tiles in an interactive map presented to a user, the method comprising:

displaying a base map within a viewport, wherein the base map comprises a first zoom layer, wherein the first zoom layer comprises a first plurality of tiles stored in an array having a size corresponding to a size of the viewport;

providing a transparency option configured to adjust a transparency of one or more of the base map or individual tiles associated with the base map;

providing a zoom option configured to be used to interact with the base map displayed in the viewport;

receiving a selection of the zoom option, wherein the first zoom layer is visible within the viewport and scaled based on the selection of the zoom option;

generating a second zoom layer to replace the first zoom layer in the viewport, wherein the second zoom layer comprises a second plurality of tiles;

replacing the first plurality of tiles stored in the array with the second plurality of tiles; and

rendering the second zoom layer over the first zoom layer within the viewport such that second zoom layer is superimposed over the first zoom layer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising scaling the base map within the viewport based on the selection of the zoom option.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of tiles is visible within the viewport and scaled based on the selection of the zoom option.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of tiles are not replaced until each of the second plurality of tiles are generated.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying weather information over the base map within the viewport, wherein the weather information comprises a first weather zoom layer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a second weather zoom layer is generated to replace the first weather zoom layer, and wherein the second weather zoom layer s rendered over the first weather zoom layer within the viewport.

18. A method for providing advertising to a user of an interactive map, the method comprising:

receiving interaction information;

determining geographic area information based on the received interactive information;

comparing the geographic area information with a list of geographic areas that provide advertisements; and

providing an advertisement associated with a geographic area if, based on the comparison, the geographic area information matches one of the geographic areas in the list, wherein the advertisement is provided via an object in an interface that includes the interactive map, and wherein the advertisement is provided via the object without refreshing the interactive map of the interface; and

providing a transparency option configured to adjust a transparency of the advertisement with respect to the interactive map.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the advertisement is provided to an interface that includes the interactive map, and wherein the advertisement is rendered on the interface.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the interaction comprises at least one of following:

a zoom interaction and a pan interaction.

21. The method of claim 20, the geographic area information is determined based on a selection of at least one of the zoom interaction and the pan interaction.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the geographic information comprises at least a geographic area of the interactive map.

23. A method for determining points of interest to display on an interactive map provided by a computing system, the method comprising:

receiving points associated with a selected point of interest;

establishing a grid for a target area of the received points, wherein the grid comprises a plurality of cells, and wherein a portion of the points are in each cell;

determining a priority for each point of the portion of the points in each cell;

filtering the points of the portion of the points in each cell based on the determined priority;

providing the filtered points to the interactive map, wherein the points of the portion of points are filtered to reduce a density of the filtered points provided to the interactive map; and

providing a transparency option configured to adjust a transparency of the filtered points with respect to the interactive map.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the target area is defined by a viewport of the interactive map.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the priority for each point of the portion of the points in each cell further comprises:

comparing each point of the portion of the points in each cell with a stored list of priority values for the points; and

assigning a priority value to each point of the portion of the points in each cell based on the comparison.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein filtering the points of the portion of the points in each cell based on the determined priority further comprises removing the points of the portion of the points in each cell except the point with a highest priority based on the determined priority.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein providing the subset of the filtered points to the interactive map further comprises rendering the points over a base map of the interactive map.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the selected point of interest comprises at least one of the following:

schools, golf courses, entertainment venues including amusement parks, restaurants, amphitheaters, zoos, historical sites, museums, ski resorts, airports, and parks.