Interactive electronically presented area representation

• US 9,570,047 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Activemap LLC
• Original Assignee: Activemap LLC
• Inventors: Abramson, Michael, Jakubassa, Erika, Grisham, Michael, Atkin, Geoff
• Primary Examiner(s): TAN, ALVIN H
• Application Number:
  US13/965,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20130328933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 715/804
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/053 Detail-in-context presentations fisheye or wide-angle transformations G06T3/047
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The present invention provides computerized systems and methods for providing electronically presented interactive area representation, such as a map, and information associated therewith. A user can select text, imagery, or other information presented on the map and associated with one or more items or locations, causing presentation of information relating to the associated one or more items or locations, such as appropriate contact information or a hyperlink to an appropriate Web site. Additionally or alternatively, a user can input or select, based on a query or otherwise, information relating to one or more items or locations associated with text, imagery, or other information presented on the map, causing presentation of an indication of one or more locations of the associated text, imagery, or other information on the map. A magnifier feature allowing internal navigation within the map can be provided. Additionally, animated images can appear to move over the map.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium or non-transitory computer readable media including computer code that causes at least one computer to perform a method of providing an interactive area representation on a display device, the method comprising simultaneously displaying on the display device:

the area representation;

a highlighted portion of the area representation indicating a first portion of the area representation that can be positioned on the area representation by a pointing device;

outside of the area representation a magnified representation of the first portion of the area representation represented by the highlighted portion;

information about one or more specific items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation, or both; and

outside of the area representation and the magnified representation additional information about at least one specific item of the one or more specific items, wherein the additional information about the at least one specific item includes user-selectable information;

the method further comprising;

in response to user input to the at least one computer with the pointing device to select user-selectable additional information from the additional information about the at least one specific item, positioning the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a second portion of the area representation corresponding to a location on the area representation related to the selected additional information, displaying a magnified representation of the second area representation portion represented by the positioned highlighted portion, and displaying with at least part of the additional information outside the area representation and the magnified representation further information about the at least one specific item;

the method further comprising;

in response to user input to the at least one computer to the area representation with the pointing device, positioning the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a third portion of the area representation, displaying a magnified representation of the third area representation portion indicated by the positioned highlighted portion and displaying additional information outside of the area representation and outside of the magnified representation about at least one specific item indicated on the third area representation portion.

2. The computer readable medium or media of claim 1, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying graphical information.

3. The computer readable medium or media of claim 1, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying text information.

4. The computer readable medium or media of claim 1, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying a link to other information.

5. The computer readable medium or media of claim 1, wherein the pointing device can continuously move the highlighted portion on the display of the area representation.

6. The computer readable medium or media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises moving an image with respect to the area representation including through the highlighted portion and through the magnified representation of the highlighted portion, the image being represented magnified in the magnified portion as compared to the image moved with respect to the area representation.

7. A method of providing an interactive area representation on a display device with at least one computer, the method comprising simultaneously displaying on the display device:

the area representation;

a highlighted portion of the area representation indicating a first portion of the area representation that can be positioned on the area representation by a pointing device;

outside of the area representation a magnified representation of the first portion of the area representation represented by the highlighted portion;

information about one or more specific items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both; and

outside of the area representation and the magnified representation additional information about at least one specific item of the one or more specific items, wherein the additional information about the at least one specific item includes user-selectable information;

the method further comprising;

in response to user input to the at least one computer with the pointing device to select user-selectable additional information from the additional information about the at least one specific item, positioning the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a second portion of the area representation corresponding to a location on the area representation related to the selected additional information, displaying a magnified representation of the second area representation portion represented by the positioned highlighted portion, and displaying with at least part of the additional information outside the area representation and the magnified representation further information about the at least one specific item;

the method further comprising;

in response to user input to the at least one computer to the area representation with the pointing device, positioning the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a third portion of the area representation, displaying a magnified representation of the third area representation portion indicated by the highlighted portion and displaying outside of the area representation and outside of the magnified representation additional information about at least one specific item indicated on the third area representation portion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying graphical information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying text information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes displaying a link to other information.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the pointing device can continuously move the highlighted portion on the display of the area representation.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises moving an image with respect to the area representation including through the highlighted portion and through the magnified representation of the highlighted portion, the image being represented magnified in the magnified portion as compared to the image moved with respect to the area representation.

13. A system for providing an interactive area representation on a display device, the system comprising:

at least one computer;

a display device;

the at least one computer being programmed to receive user input from a pointing device, and the at least one computer being programmed to provide on the display device a display that simultaneously comprises;

an area representation;

a highlighted portion of the area representation indicating a first portion of the area representation that can be positioned on the area representation by the pointing device;

outside of the area representation, a magnified representation of the first portion of the area representation represented by the highlighted portion;

information about one or more specific items associated with the area representation on the area representation, the magnified representation or both; and

outside of the area representation and the magnified representation additional information about at least one specific item of the one or more specific items, wherein the additional information about the at least one specific item includes user-selectable information;

wherein

in response to user input to the at least one computer with the pointing device to select user-selectable additional information from the additional information about the at least one specific item, the at least one computer being configured to position the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a second portion of the area representation corresponding to a location on the area representation related to the selected additional information, display a magnified representation of the second area representation portion represented by the positioned highlighted portion, and display with at least part of the additional information outside the area representation and the magnified representation further information about the at least one specific item, and wherein

in response to user input to the at least one computer to the area representation with the pointing device, the at least one computer positioning the highlighted portion on the area representation to indicate a third portion of the area representation, displaying a magnified representation of the third area representation portion indicated by the highlighted portion and displaying outside of the area representation and outside of the magnified representation additional information about at least one specific item indicated on the third area representation portion.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes graphical information.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes text information.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the information about the one or more items associated with the area representation on the area representation, on the magnified representation or both includes a link to other information.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the pointing device can continuously move the highlighted portion on the display of the area representation.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer is programmed to move an image with respect to the area representation including through the highlighted portion and through the magnified representation of the highlighted portion, the image being represented magnified in the magnified portion as compared to the image moved with respect to the area representation.