Representation of overlapping visual entities

• US 9,043,723 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Jeff J., Loomis, Anne H., Impas, Romualdo T., Paulin, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US13/826,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 11/002 Magnetic work holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/004 Annotating, labelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 : for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5569 : details of specially adapted mobile parts, e.g. electromechanical control devices motors in general H02K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 : Work holding

Abstract

Various embodiments present a combined visual entity that represents overlapping visual entities. The combined visual entity can include a primary visualization that represents one of the overlapping visual entities and annotations that represent others of the overlapping visual entities. For example, a map view can include multiple geographical entities that overlap. A primary visualization can be rendered that represents one of the multiple geographical entities. The primary visualization can be visually annotated (e.g., with symbols, letters, or other visual indicators) to indicate others of the multiple geographical entities. In some embodiments, a zoom operation can cause visual entities to be added and/or removed from the combined visual entity.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable storage media embodying one or more modules that are executable by at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:

rendering a two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional view of a travel route from a perspective of a traveler along the travel route;

receiving an indication of a navigation to a particular location along the travel route; and

causing a combined visual entity that represents multiple visual entities that occur adjacent to the location to be displayed as part of the two-dimensional approximation of the three-dimensional view of the travel route, the combined visual entity including a primary visualization that represents a single entity of the multiple visual entities, and one or more annotations at least partially visually overlaid on the primary visualization and that represent one or more other entities of the multiple visual entities.

2. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional view of a travel route comprises a view of a street and a view of at least one side of the street.

3. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the multiple visual entities represent entities that are located at a same address along the travel route.

4. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication of a user interaction with the combined visual entity; and

responsive to the indication of the user interaction, rendering the multiple visual entities as separate visual entities.

5. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 4, wherein the separate visual entities represent respective data entities that occur at the particular location along the travel route, the separate visual entities are not displayed at the particular location along the travel route, and the separate visual entities are visually associated with the particular location along the travel route.

6. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the combined visual entity is displayed responsive to a determination that the multiple visual entities overlap based on one or more of a display location for each of the multiple visual entities or geographic coordinates for each of the multiple visual entities.

7. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein at least some of the multiple visual entities are respectively associated with different data layers.

8. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 7, wherein at least one of the different data layers is pre-defined by a user.

9. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein at least one annotation of the one or more annotations is a single symbol that represents a single entity of the one or more other entities and that is overlaid on the primary visualization.

10. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising;

rendering a two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional view of a travel route from a perspective of a traveler along the travel route;

receiving an indication of a navigation to a particular location along the travel route;

causing a combined visual entity that represents multiple visual entities that occur adjacent to the location to be displayed as part of the two-dimensional approximation of the three-dimensional view of the travel route;

receiving an indication of a user interaction with the combined visual entity; and

responsive to the indication of the user interaction, rendering the multiple visual entities as separate visual entities that are visually tied together via visual lines to a single location.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional view of a travel route comprises a view of a street and a view of at least one side of the street.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the multiple visual entities represent entities that are located at a same address along the travel route.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the separate visual entities represent respective data entities that occur at the particular location along the travel route, the separate visual entities are not displayed at the particular location along the travel route, and the separate visual entities are visually associated with the particular location along the travel route.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the combined visual entity is displayed responsive to a determination that the multiple visual entities overlap based on one or more of a display location for each of the multiple visual entities or geographic coordinates for each of the multiple visual entities.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein at least some of the multiple visual entities are respectively associated with different data layers.

16. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein at least one of the different data layers is pre-defined by a user.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the combined visual entity comprises a primary visualization that represents one or more of the multiple visual entities, and at least one annotation that represents one or more others of the multiple visual entities.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication of a user interaction with a separate visual entity of the separate visual entities; and

causing information about the separate visual entity to be displayed responsive to the user interaction with the separate visual entity.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:

rendering a two-dimensional approximation of a three-dimensional view of a travel route from a perspective of a traveler along the travel route;

receiving an indication of a navigation to a particular location along the travel route; and

causing a combined visual entity that represents multiple visual entities that occur adjacent to the location to be displayed as part of the two-dimensional approximation of the three-dimensional view of the travel route, the combined visual entity including a primary visualization that represents a single entity of the multiple visual entities, and one or more annotations at least partially visually overlaid on the primary visualization and that represent one or more other entities of the multiple visual entities.

20. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user interaction with the combined visual entity; and

responsive to the indication of the user interaction, rendering the multiple visual entities as separate visual entities.