Method and apparatus for providing a contextual menu in a map display

• US 9,372,092 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Skillman, Peter, Coffey, Kevin, Plaisant, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/455,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20160040996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/410, 701424-426, 701/533
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3605 Destination input or retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3614 through interaction with a road map, e.g. selecting a POI icon on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

An approach is provided for presenting a contextual menu in a map display. A contextual menu platform determines an input for a delineation of at least one route, at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof in at least one map user interface of at least one device. The contextual menu platform determines contextual information associated with the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, the at least one map user interface, the at least one device, at least one user associated with the at least one device, or a combination thereof. The contextual menu platform also determines one or more contextual menu options based, at least in part, on the contextual information. The contextual menu platform further causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least one contextual menu to present the one or more contextual menu options in the at least one map user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user input that delineates at least one route, at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof in a map user interface of a device;

identifying contextual information associated with mapping data of the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

determining one or more contextual menu options based, at least in part, on the contextual information; and

initiating a presentation of at least one contextual menu of the one or more contextual menu options in the map user interface.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the user input is drawn over the map user interface, and the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof is delineated using at least one input modality, and wherein the at least one input modality includes, at least in part, a drawing input modality, a gesture input modality, a voice input modality, a gaze tracking input modality, a text input modality, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

processing the input to determine at least one input characteristic associated with the at least one input modality used to delineate the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

wherein the contextual information, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof are further based, at least in part, on the at least one input characteristic.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the at least one input characteristic includes, at least in part, a user input speed, a user input shape, or a combination thereof.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the user input specifies at least one user input direction, at least one user input vector heading, or a combination thereof,

wherein the contextual information, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof are further based on the at least one user input direction, the at least one user input vector heading, or a combination thereof.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one input location in the map user interface at which the input is provided; and

determining at least one display location for the at least one contextual menu, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the at least one input location.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the input is at least one tap input, the method further comprising:

processing the at least one tap input to initiate a determination, a recommendation, or a combination thereof of the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof.

8. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a correlation of the user input to one or more map features in the map user interface; and

determining the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the correlation.

9. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the contextual information to determine one or more default parameter values for the one or more contextual menu options, wherein the context information includes neighborhood information, weather information, proximity information, type of area information, demographics information, distance information, available points of interest information, or a combination thereof; and

initiating a presentation of the one or more default parameters values in the at least one contextual menu.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the input further specifies at least a portion of the contextual information.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a user input that delineates at least one route, at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof in a map user interface of a device;

identify contextual information associated with mapping data of the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

determine one or more contextual menu options based, at least in part, on the contextual information; and

initiate a presentation of at least one contextual menu of the one or more contextual menu options in the map user interface.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof is delineated using at least one input modality, and wherein the at least one input modality includes, at least in part, a drawing input modality, a gesture input modality, a voice input modality, a gaze tracking input modality, a text input modality, or a combination thereof.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process the input to determine at least one input characteristic associated with the at least one input modality used to delineate the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

wherein the contextual information, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof are further based, at least in part, on the at least one input characteristic.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one input characteristic includes, at least in part, a user input speed, a user input shape, or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the user input specifies at least one user input direction, at least one user input vector heading, or a combination thereof,

wherein the contextual information, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof are further based on the at least one user input direction, the at least one user input vector heading, or a combination thereof.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one input location in the map user interface at which the input is provided; and

determining at least one display location for the at least one contextual menu, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the at least one input location.

17. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the input is at least one tap input, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process the at least one tap input to initiate a determination, a recommendation, or a combination thereof of the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof.

18. A computer program product including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform:

receiving a user input that delineates at least one route, at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof in a map user interface of a device;

identifying contextual information associated with mapping data of the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

determining one or more contextual menu options based, at least in part, on the contextual information; and

initiating a presentation of at least one contextual menu of the one or more contextual menu options in the map user interface.

19. A computer program product of claim 18, wherein the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof is delineated using at least one input modality, and wherein the at least one input modality includes, at least in part, a drawing input modality, a gesture input modality, a voice input modality, a gaze tracking input modality, a text input modality, or a combination thereof.

20. A computer program product of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

processing the input to determine at least one input characteristic associated with the at least one input modality used to delineate the at least one route, the at least one geographical area, or a combination thereof;

wherein the contextual information, the one or more contextual menu options, or a combination thereof are further based, at least in part, on the at least one input characteristic.