METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DECLUTTERING ICONS REPRESENTING POINTS OF INTEREST ON A MAP

• US 20090100363A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• 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: Mathew, Anil, Babetski, Joshua J., Sivanpillai, Gopakumar, Pegg, Antony M., Olivero, Angela S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• 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 method for decluttering icons on a map graphically presented on a display, the icons representing points-of-interest on the map, the method comprising:

determining whether icons in a map view are overlapping;

grouping the icons which are determined to overlap into at least one icon group;

repositioning the icons in each icon group into a decluttered icon pattern, wherein the icons are repositioned in the map view at a predetermined distance from a common focal point; and

adjusting the repositioned icons to a different position in the map view when the repositioned icons overlap.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the repositioned icons includes a leader line that extends between the icon and a position on the map.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting step further comprises decluttering leader lines which connect to the repositioned icons.

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises providing an information rollover window to the user for at least one of the repositioned icons.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises repositioning an icon in at least one decluttered icon pattern to a new position in the map view based on input from a user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the input from a user comprises a user request to re-size the map view.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the re-sizing includes zooming in and zooming out.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the input from a user includes a user selecting an icon and dragging the icon to a new position in the map view.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the input from a user includes a user request to display a specified number of icons in the map view.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the repositioning based on user input further comprises:

receiving input from a user to reposition at least one decluttered icon to a new position on the map;

based on the input received from the user, repositioning the at least one decluttered icon to the new position in the map view while hiding the leader line to the at least one decluttered icon; and

redrawing, after the at least one decluttered icon is repositioned to the new position, the leader line to the repositioned icon.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting step is performed a maximum of three times.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to a minimum distance required to place the icons in the icon group in a non-overlapping pattern with a common focal point.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the common focal point is the centroid of a bounding box of the icons in the icon group.

15. A method for arranging decluttered icons on a map graphically presented on a display, each of the icons including a leader line that extends between the icon and a position on the map, the method comprising:

receiving input from a user to reposition at least one decluftered icon to a new position on the map;

repositioning, based on the input received from the user, the at least one decluttered icon to the new position on the map while hiding the leader line to the at least one decluttered icon; and

redrawing, after the at least one decluttered icon is repositioned to the new position, the leader line to the repositioned icon.

16. A method for decluttering icons on a map graphically presented on display, the icons representing points-of-interest on the map, the method comprising:

determining whether the icons overlap in a map view;

grouping the icons which are determined to overlap into at least one icon group;

repositioning the icons in each icon group on the map, wherein the repositioning comprises stacking the icons in each icon group into an icon stack;

adjusting each icon stack to a different position in the map view when the icon stack overlaps with another icon stack or object in the map view; and

repositioning at least one icon stack to a new position in the map view based on input from a user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises providing arrows above each icon stack to allow a user to access stacked icons that are not viewable on the map.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises providing, wherein when a user rolls over a stacked icon, a secondary icon on the map to indicate an original position of the icon.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the input from a user comprises a user request to re-size the map view.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the input from a user includes a user selecting an icon stack and dragging the icon stack to a new position in the map view.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein each icon stack has a predetermined height and width.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises providing an information rollover window to the user for at least one of the icons.

23. A system for decluftering icons on a map graphically presented on a display, the icons representing points-of-interest on the map, the system comprising:

means for determining whether the icons overlap in a map view;

means for grouping the icons which are determined to overlap into at least one icon group;

means for repositioning the icons in each icon group into a decluttered icon pattern, such that the icons are repositioned at a predetermined distance from a common focal point; and

means for repositioning an icon in at least one decluttered icon pattern to a new position in the map view based on input from a user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the system further comprises means for adjusting the repositioned icons to a different position in the map view when the repositioned icons overlap.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the decluttered icon pattern is one of an arc or a circle.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein each of the repositioned icons includes a leader line that extends between the icon and a position on the map.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the input from a user comprises a user request to re-size the map view.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the input from a user includes a user selecting an icon and dragging the icon to a new position in the map view.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the input from a user includes a user request to display a specified number of icons in the map view.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the predetermined distance is equal to a minimum distance required to place the icons in the icon group in a non-overlapping pattern with a common focal point.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the common focal point is the centroid of a bounding box of the icons in the icon group.