Methods and systems for decluttering icons representing points of interest on a map

• US 9,417,764 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pegg, Antony M., Babetski, Joshua J., Olivero, Angela S., Sivanpillai, Gopakumar, Mathew, Anil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan S
• Application Number:
  US14/061,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for decluttering icons on a map graphically presented on a display. In one implementation, a method is provided for decluttering icons representing points-of-interest on a map, wherein the method includes determining whether icons in a map view are overlapping and grouping the icons which are determined to overlap into at least one icon group. The method may also include repositioning the icons in each icon group into a decluttered icon patterns, wherein repositioning includes repositioning the icons at a predetermined distance from a common focal point. In addition, the method may include adjusting the repositioned icons to a different position in the map view when the repositioned icons overlap. Additionally, or alternatively, the method may include repositioning an icon in at least one decluttered icon pattern to a new position in the map view based on input from a user.

Claims

1. A system for decluttering icons presented on a computerized map display, the icons representing corresponding points-of-interest locations on a map, the system comprising:

a storage medium that stores a plurality of instructions; and

at least one processor that executes the plurality of instructions to;

identify icons that would overlap on the map display if displayed at their corresponding points-of-interest locations;

determine a decluttered icon pattern in which the overlapping icons are repositioned, wherein each of the repositioned icons includes a leader line that extends between the icon and a corresponding points-of-interest location;

determine whether any of the repositioned icons would overlap in the decluttered icon pattern and, if so, adjust a radial position of one or more of the overlapping icons from a common focal point of the overlapping icon group to eliminate the icon overlap;

determine that at least two of the leader lines would overlap and adjust an angle of spacing between the overlapping leader lines to eliminate the leader line overlap; and

cause display on the map display of the decluttered icon pattern reflecting the adjusted one or more icons and including the leader lines extending from the icons in the decluttered icon pattern to their corresponding points-of-interest locations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the decluttered icon pattern is one of an arc or a circle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor further executes the plurality of instructions to provide an information rollover window on the map display for at least one of the icons in the decluttered icon pattern.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor further executes the plurality of instructions to reposition an icon in the decluttered icon pattern to a new position in the map display based on input from a user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the input from a user comprises a user request to re-size the map.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the re-sizing includes zooming in and zooming out.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the input from a user includes a user selecting an icon in the decluttered icon pattern and dragging the icon to a new position in the map.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the input from a user includes a user request to display a specified number of icons on the map.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the angle of spacing between the overlapping leader lines is determined based on the number of icons to be decluttered.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for decluttering icons presented on a computerized map display, the icons representing corresponding points-of-interest locations on a map, the instructions being executable by one or more processors to:

identify icons that would overlap on the map display if displayed at their corresponding points-of-interest locations;

determine a decluttered icon pattern in which the overlapping icons are repositioned, wherein each of the repositioned icons includes a leader line that extends between the icon and a corresponding points-of-interest location;

determine whether any of the repositioned icons would overlap in the decluttered icon pattern and, if so, adjust a radial position of one or more of the overlapping icons from a common focal point of the overlapping icon group to eliminate the icon overlap;

determine that at least two of the leader lines would overlap and adjust an angle of spacing between the overlapping leader lines to eliminate the leader line overlap; and

cause display on the map display of the decluttered icon pattern reflecting the adjusted one or more icons and including the angularly spaced leader lines extending from the icons in the decluttered icon pattern to their corresponding points-of-interest locations.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the decluttered icon pattern is one of an arc or a circle.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to provide an information rollover window on the map display for at least one of the icons in the decluttered icon pattern.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to reposition an icon in the decluttered icon pattern to a new position in the map display based on input from a user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the input from a user comprises a user request to re-size the map.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the re-sizing includes zooming in and zooming out.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the input from a user includes a user selecting an icon in the decluttered icon pattern and dragging the icon to a new position in the map.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the input from a user includes a user request to display a specified number of icons on the map.

18. A method for decluttering icons presented on a computerized map display, the icons representing corresponding points-of-interest locations on a map, the method comprising the following operations performed by at least one processor:

identifying icons that would overlap on the map display if displayed at their corresponding points-of-interest locations;

determining a decluttered icon pattern in which the overlapping icons are repositioned, wherein each of the repositioned icons includes a leader line that extends between the icon and a corresponding points-of-interest location;

determining whether any of the repositioned icons would overlap in the decluttered icon pattern and, if so, adjusting a radial position of one or more of the overlapping icons from a common focal point of the overlapping icon group to eliminate the icon overlap;

determine that at least two of the leader lines would overlap and adjust an angle of spacing between the overlapping leader lines to eliminate the leader line overlap; and

causing display on the map display of the decluttered icon pattern reflecting the adjusted one or more icons and including the leader lines extending from the icons in the decluttered icon pattern to their corresponding points-of-interest locations.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the decluttered icon pattern is one of an arc or a circle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises providing an information rollover window on the map display for at least one of the icons in the decluttered icon pattern.