METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOVER-BASED SPATIAL SEARCHES ON MOBILE MAPS

• US 20130219308A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Britton, Jason Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,594,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An approach is provided for enabling hover-based interactions to define spatial searches on mobile maps. A user interaction manager causes, at least in part, a rendering of at least one user interface depicting mapping information. A user interaction manager then processes and/or facilitates a processing of one or more hover-based interactions with the at least one user interface to determine one or more parameters for one or more spatial searches over the mapping information.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

a rendering of at least one user interface depicting mapping information; and

a processing of one or more hover-based interactions with the at least one user interface to determine one or more parameters for one or more spatial searches over the mapping information.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface facilitates, at least in part, one or more touch-based interactions that operate at least substantially independently of the one or more hover-based interactions.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the one or more touch-based interactions are associated with one or more panning operations over the mapping information.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions to determine at least one boundary, at least one path, or a combination thereof,

wherein the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof comprise, at least in part, the one or more parameters.

5. A method of claim 4, wherein the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof are based, at least in part, on one or more symmetrical shapes, one or more asymmetrical shapes, or a combination thereof.

6. A method of claim 4, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a normalization of the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof to one or more features of the at least one user interface, the mapping information, or a combination thereof.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions in combination with one or more other modes of interaction to determine the one or more parameters, the one or more spatial searches, or a combination thereof.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein the one or more other modes of interaction include, at least in part, one or more voice-based interactions, one or more text-based interactions, or a combination thereof.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions to determine at least one hovering distance; and

at least one determination of the one or more parameters, the one or more spatial searches, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the at least one hovering distance.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of an initiation of the one or more hover-based interactions; and

a rendering of at least one notification associated with the initiation, the one or more hover-based interactions, or a combination thereof.

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,

cause, at least in part, a rendering of at least one user interface depicting mapping information; and

process and/or facilitate a processing of one or more hover-based interactions with the at least one user interface to determine one or more parameters for one or more spatial searches over the mapping information.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one user interface facilitates, at least in part, one or more touch-based interactions that operate at least substantially independently of the one or more hover-based interactions.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more touch-based interactions are associated with one or more panning operations over the mapping information.

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

process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions to determine at least one boundary, at least one path, or a combination thereof,

wherein the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof comprise, at least in part, the one or more parameters.

15. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof are based, at least in part, on one or more symmetrical shapes, one or more asymmetrical shapes, or a combination thereof.

16. An apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a normalization of the at least one boundary, the at least one path, or a combination thereof to one or more features of the at least one user interface, the mapping information, or a combination thereof.

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

process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions in combination with one or more other modes of interaction to determine the one or more parameters, the one or more spatial searches, or a combination thereof.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more other modes of interaction include, at least in part, one or more voice-based interactions, one or more text-based interactions, or a combination thereof.

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

process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more hover-based interactions to determine at least one hovering distance; and

determine the one or more parameters, the one or more spatial searches, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the at least one hovering distance.

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

determine an initiation of the one or more hover-based interactions; and

cause, at least in part, a rendering of at least one notification associated with the initiation, the one or more hover-based interactions, or a combination thereof.

21-48. -48. (canceled)