Display of transit features in mapping application

• US 9,726,506 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kelso, Nathaniel V., Reiner, Aaron A., O'Beirne, Justin, Wachsman, Eleanor Cady
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US14/545,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20160356610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 794 Days
• Field of Search: 701532, 701538, 701438, 701533, 715765, 715835
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/008 Touring maps or guides to public transport networks

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a mapping application that displays transit information in a map region. The mapping application identifies several transit lines for a map region. Each transit line corresponds to at least one transit vehicle route. Based on a particular zoom level of the map, the mapping application determines a subset of the transit lines to display in the map region. The mapping application displays the subset of the transit lines in the map region to emphasize the transit lines over other map features.

Claims

1. A method for displaying transit information in a map region, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of transit lines for a map region, each transit line corresponding to at least one transit vehicle route;

based on a particular zoom level of the map, determining a subset of the transit lines to display in the map region; and

displaying the subset of the transit lines in the map region such that the transit lines and other transit-related map features are emphasized in the map region, while other map features are de-emphasized in the map region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the subset of the transit lines comprises:

identifying at least one particular transit line of the subset of the transit lines as being more important than other transit lines of the subset; and

displaying the particular transit line thicker and with higher color saturation in relation to the other transit lines of the subset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the particular transit line represents a transit route that operates at a higher frequency than transit routes represented by the other transit lines.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein frequency is based on an average number of passengers that ride the transit route within a specified time period.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the transit lines of the subset of transit lines are displayed in colors that correspond to colors used by transit system providers that operate the transit line'"'"'s corresponding transit route.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying, for a plurality of transit lines in the subset, a set of transit stations intersected by the plurality of transit lines.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the transit stations is displayed using a same color as a transit line that intersects the transit station.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, when a particular transit station of the set of transit stations is intersected by at least two transit lines, the particular transit station is displayed using white rather than a color of either of the transit lines.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein a shape and a size of a particular transit station intersected by one or more transit lines is based on at least one of a particular zoom level, a location at which the particular transit station is intersected by the transit lines, and a number of transit lines that intersect the particular transit station.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying the set of transit stations comprises determining, for each transit station in the set of transit stations, a set of features to represent the transit station for display in the map region based on a particular zoom level of the map.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at a first zoom level the set of features comprises an oblong shape, wherein at a second zoom level the set of features comprises at least one of a first set of polygons that represent an above-ground structure of the transit station and a second set of polygons that represent a below-ground structure of the transit station.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of features comprises indicators for identifying entrances into the transit station.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one displayed transit station in the set of transit stations comprises a plurality of transit stations that are combined and represented as the single displayed transit station, wherein the method further comprises displaying a label with a city name alongside the single displayed transit station.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transit lines and other transit-related map features are emphasized in the map region using vivid colors, while the other map features are represented completely or partially desaturated.

15. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a mapping application which when executed by at least one processing unit displays transit information in a map region, the mapping application comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying a plurality of transit lines for a map region, each transit line corresponding to at least one transit vehicle route;

based on a particular zoom level of the map, determining a subset of the transit lines to display in the map region;

displaying the subset of the transit lines in the map region to emphasize the transit lines over other map features; and

displaying a set of transit stations for the subset of transit lines, wherein a set of features for representing at least one transit station on the map region is different in at least two different zoom levels of the map.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the mapping application further comprises a set of instructions for de-emphasizing other map features, by lowering color saturation of the other map features in relation to the transit lines.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein the other map features comprise roads without transit lines, land cover, and points of interest.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein each displayed transit line is positioned in the map region according to its corresponding transit route'"'"'s actual geographical position.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein at a first zoom level the set of features comprises an oblong shape, wherein at a second zoom level the set of features comprises at least one of a first set of polygons that represent an above-ground structure of the transit station and a second set of polygons that represent a below-ground structure of the transit station.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a set of processing units; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a mapping application which when executed by at least one processing unit displays transit information in a map region, the mapping application comprising sets of instructions for;

identifying a plurality of transit lines for a map region, each transit line corresponding to at least one transit vehicle route;

based on a particular zoom level of the map, determining a subset of the transit lines to display in the map region; and

displaying the subset of the transit lines in the map region to emphasize the transit lines over other map features, wherein at least one particular transit line of the subset that is more important than other transit lines of the subset is displayed thicker and with higher color saturation in relation to the other transit lines of the subset.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the subset of the transit lines comprises a set of instructions for de-emphasizing other map features by lowering color saturation of the other map features in relation to the transit lines.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the particular transit line represents a transit route that operates at a higher frequency than transit routes represented by the other transit lines.