Changing emphasis of list items in a map navigation tool

• US 8,706,415 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Su, Chien-Wen Danny, Bharathan, Aarti, Solis, Adrian, Aroner, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US13/308,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20120303274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/400, 701/538, 707/726, 707/754, 707/999, 707/102
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

A map navigation tool presents directions using a map navigation user interface that simplifies navigation in various ways. In particular, the map navigation tool dynamically adjusts presentation of graphics and/or text for directions depending on current location, so as to emphasize upcoming instructions. For example, based on current location, the tool identifies an upcoming list item in a list of directions for a route. The map navigation tool renders a view of at least part of the list of directions, rendering a given list item differently depending on whether it is the upcoming list item, a future list item, or a previous list item. Upon successful completion of navigation for the upcoming list item, the tool outputs an indication of positive feedback, changes the upcoming list item to be the next list item, and renders a new view in which the next list item is emphasized.

Claims

1. In a computing device that implements a map navigation tool, a method comprising:

based at least in part on current location of the computing device, identifying an upcoming list item among multiple list items of a list of directions for a route, the list of directions including the multiple list items in an order; and

rendering for display a view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein, for a given list item among the multiple list items;

if the given list item is the upcoming list item, the upcoming list item is rendered according to a first color scheme;

if the given list item is a future list item that follows the upcoming list item in the order, the future list item is rendered according to a second color scheme different than the first color scheme; and

if the given list item is a previous list item that precedes the upcoming list item in the order, the previous list item is rendered according to a third color scheme different than the first and second color schemes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, according to the first color scheme, the upcoming list item is emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the upcoming list item in an accent color different than a default color used to render other list items of the multiple list items.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, according to the second color scheme, the future list item is shown by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the future list item with a default color different than an accent color used to render a graphical icon and/or text for the upcoming list item.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein, according to the third color scheme, the previous list item is de-emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the previous list item with lower intensity than the default color and the accent color.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input event;

responsive to the user input event, outputting an indication of the upcoming list item by, as part of the rendering the view, aligning location text for the upcoming list item at the top of a list control portion of the view of the list of directions.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the outputting the indication of the upcoming list item further includes:

rendering for audio playback voice output for text description of the upcoming list item.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input event;

responsive to the user input event, outputting an indication of the previous list item or the future list item that shows scrolling through the list of directions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the multiple list items is associated with an action, location text and location, the method further comprising:

rendering for display a view of a map, including, for the given list item among the multiple list items, rendering, in the view of the map, a waypoint icon at the location for the given list item; and

as part of the rendering for display the view of at least part of the list of directions, for the given list item, rendering, in the view of at least part of the list of directions, the waypoint icon for the given list item, the location text for the given list item and/or a direction icon for the action for the given list item.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

if the given list item is the upcoming list item, the upcoming list item is emphasized according to the first color scheme by rendering the waypoint icon, the direction icon and/or the location text for the upcoming list item in an accent color;

if the given list item is a future list item, the future list item is shown according to the second color scheme by rendering the waypoint icon, the direction icon and/or the location text for the future list item with a default color different than the accent color; and

if the given list item is a previous list item, the previous list item is de-emphasized according to the third color scheme by rendering the waypoint icon, the direction icon and/or the location text for the previous list item with lower intensity than the default color and the accent color.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising, for the given list item, rendering, in the view of at least part of the list of directions, sub-text for the given list item, wherein the sub-text is de-emphasized compared to the location text for the given list item.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein:

if the given list item is the upcoming list item, a distance value between the current location of the computing device and the location for the upcoming list item is rendered in the view of at least part of the list of directions; and

if the given list item is a future list item, a distance value between the location for the future list item and a previous location, if any, is rendered in the view of at least part of the list of directions; and

if the given list item is a previous list item, no distance value is rendered for the given list item.

12. A computing device that includes a processor and memory, the computing device being adapted to perform a method comprising:

based at least in part on current location of the computing device, identifying an upcoming list item among multiple list items of a list of directions for a route, the list of directions including the multiple list items in an order;

rendering for display a first view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein a first list item of the multiple list items, as the upcoming list item, is emphasized in the first view compared to a second list item that follows the first list item in the order; and

responsive to successful completion of navigation for the upcoming list item;

outputting an indication of positive feedback;

changing the upcoming list item to be the second list item; and

rendering for display a second view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein the first list item is de-emphasized in the second view compared to the first view, and wherein the second list item, as the upcoming list item, is emphasized in the second view compared to the first list item.

13. The computing device of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a first user input event, wherein the rendering the first view is responsive to the first user input event;

receiving a second user input event; and

responsive to the second user input event, rendering for display a third view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein the second list item is further emphasized in the third view by aligning text for the second list item at the top of a list control portion of the third view.

14. The computing device of claim 13 wherein the indication of positive feedback is an audible tone, thereby prompting a user for subsequent user input for the second user input event.

15. The computing device of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to the first user input event, rendering for audio playback voice output for text description of the first list item; and

responsive to the second user input event, rendering for audio playback voice output for text description of the second list item.

16. The computing device of claim 12 wherein:

in the first view, the first list item is emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and/or text for the first list item with an accent color, and the second list item is de-emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and/or text for the second list item with a default color different than the accent color; and

in the second view, the first list item is de-emphasized by rendering the graphical icon and/or text for the first list item with lower intensity than the accent color, and the second list item is emphasized by rendering the graphical icon and/or text for the second list item with the accent color.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computing device to perform a method comprising:

based at least in part on current location of the computing device, identifying an upcoming list item among multiple list items of a list of directions for a route, the list of directions including the multiple list items in an order; and

rendering for display a view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein, for a given list item among the multiple list items;

if the given list item is the upcoming list item, the upcoming list item is rendered according to a first color scheme, wherein, according to the first color scheme, the upcoming list item is emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the upcoming list item in an accent color different than a default color;

if the given list item is a future list item that follows the upcoming list item in the order, the future list item is rendered according to a second color scheme, wherein, according to the second color scheme, the future list item is shown by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the future list item with the default color; and

if the given list item is a previous list item that precedes the upcoming list item in the order, the previous list item is rendered according to a third color scheme, wherein, according to the third color scheme, the previous list item is de-emphasized by rendering a graphical icon and location text for the previous list item with lower intensity than the default color and the accent color.

18. The storage media of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a user input event; and

responsive to the user input event, outputting an indication of the upcoming list item by, as part of the rendering the view, aligning location text for the upcoming list item at the top of a list control portion of the view of the list of directions, and by rendering for audio playback voice output for text description of the upcoming list item.

19. The storage media of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises, responsive to successful completion of navigation for the given list item as the upcoming list item:

outputting an indication of positive feedback;

changing the given list item to be a previous list item; and

rendering for display a new view of at least part of the list of directions, wherein the given list item is de-emphasized in the new view, and wherein a next list item is emphasized in the new view compared to the given list item.

20. The storage media of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a user input event; and

responsive to the user input event, outputting an indication of the previous list item or the future list item that shows scrolling through the list of directions.