Single gesture map navigation graphical user interface for a thin client

• US 7,439,969 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Dandridge, Robin Warner, DeAguiar, John Ricardo, Chithambaram, Nemmara
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K
• Application Number:
  US11/550,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20070080958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/711, 345/810, 345/619, 345/629, 715/515, 715/530, 715/854, 715/863, 701/201, 702/2
• US Class Current: 345/418
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

An application on a thin client displays a map. A graphical user interface permits the application to receive single gesture inputs of a stylus. If the single gesture input comprises a drag of the stylus a minimum distance, the map is panned such that the map is shifted to a new center view. The displayed map may contain one or more map objects. If the input comprises a single tap on a specific map object, the map object under the tap may be selected and highlighted. Further, a ToolTip for the map object may be displayed. A further tap of the ToolTip may result in the navigation to a link or URL associated with the map object selected. One or more zoom buttons may also be displayed. If a zoom button is tapped by the user, the map may be displayed in a different level of detail.

Claims

1. A method for map navigation using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

displaying a map on a display screen of a thin client;

receiving a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a drag of a stylus across the display screen, and wherein the drag of the stylus allows the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations;

determining whether the stylus has been dragged a minimum distance; and

if the stylus has been dragged a minimum distance and in response to the drag, panning the map in accordance with the drag such that the map is shifted to a new center view, wherein an edge of the map cannot be panned beyond a center of a view.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the map may be panned until an edge of the map is reached.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the panning returns a view of the map to a designated target point.

4. A method for map navigation using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

displaying a map having one or more map objects on a display screen of a thin client;

receiving a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a single tap of a stylus on a specific map object, and wherein actions of the single gesture input allow the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations; and

in response to the single tap;

selecting and highlighting the map object under the tap; and

displaying a tooltip for the map object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving a second single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the second single gesture input comprises a single tap of the stylus on the tooltip; and

displaying a report for the map object in response to the single tap on the tooltip.

6. A method for map navigation using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

displaying a map on a display screen of a thin client;

displaying a zoom button on the display screen of the thin client;

receiving a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a single tap by a stylus of the zoom button, and wherein actions of the single gesture input allow the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations; and

displaying the map on the display screen of the thin client with a different level of detail.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the different level of detail is a more detailed view of the map than originally displayed.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the different level of detail is a less detailed view of the map than originally displayed.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the zoom button is only displayed if a display of a different level of detail is available.

10. A method for map navigation using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

(a) displaying a map on a display screen of a thin client;

(b) receiving a single gesture input from a user into the thin client;

(c) evaluating the single gesture input to determine if a stylus has been dragged across a display screen a minimum distance;

(d) if the stylus has been dragged at least the minimum distance;

(i) determining that a user desires to conduct a panning operation; and

(ii) panning the map in accordance with the drag such that the map is shifted to a new center view; and

(e) if the stylus has not been dragged the minimum distance;

(i) determining that the user desired to conduct a map object selection operation in a form of a single tap of the stylus on a specific map object; and

(ii) performing a map object selection operation based on the specific map object tapped.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the map object selection operation comprises displaying a tooltip for the specific map object tapped.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the specific map object comprises a zoom button; and

the map object selection operation comprises displaying the map on the display screen of the thin client with a different level of detail.

13. A system for navigating a map using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

(a) a thin client;

(b) an application launched on the thin client, the application configured to;

(i) display a map on a display screen of the thin client;

(ii) receive a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a drag of a stylus across the display screen, and wherein the drag of the stylus allows the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations;

(iii) determine whether the stylus has been dragged a minimum distance; and

(iv) if the stylus has been dragged a minimum distance and in response to the drag, pan the map in accordance with the drag such that the map is shifted to a new center view, wherein an edge of the map cannot be panned beyond a center of a view.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the map may be panned until an edge of the map is reached.

15. A system for navigating a map using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

(a) a thin client;

(b) an application launched on the thin client, the application configured to;

(i) display a map having one or more map objects on a display screen of a thin client;

(ii) receive a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a single tap of a stylus on a specific map object, and wherein actions of the single gesture input allow the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations; and

(iii) in response to the single tap;

(1) select and highlighting the map object under the tap; and

(2) display a tooltip for the map object.

16. The system of claim 15, the application further configured to:

receive a second single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the second single gesture input comprises a single tap of the stylus on the tooltip; and

display a report for the map object in response to the single tap on the tooltip.

17. A system for navigating a map using a graphical user interface on a thin client comprising:

(a) a thin client;

(b) an application launched on the thin client, the application configured to;

(i) display a map on a display screen of a thin client;

(ii) display a zoom button on the display screen of the thin client;

(iii) receive a single gesture input from a user into the thin client, wherein the single gesture input comprises a single tap by a stylus of the zoom button, and wherein actions of the single gesture input allow the graphical user interface to distinguish between desired user operations; and

(iv) display the map on the display screen of the thin client with a different level of detail.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the different level of detail is a more detailed view of the map than originally displayed.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the different level of detail is a less detailed view of the map than originally displayed.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the zoom button is only displayed if a display of a different level of detail is available.