User interface methods and apparatus for controlling the visual display of maps having selectable map elements in mobile communication devices

• US 8,850,343 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Klassen, Gerhard Dietrich, Kalougina, Tatiana, Devenyi, Peter John, Boudreau, Jesse, Johnson, Eric, Wisebourt, Shual S
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US13/759,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/767, 715/208, 701/208
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

A viewable map region of a map is visually displayed in a display, and a plurality of point of interest (POI) indicators are presented in the viewable region. One or more off-map indicators are also presented in the viewable region, where each off-map indicator indicates a POI indicator outside of the viewable region but within a predetermined range. In response to detecting a forward signal when a cursor is on a current POI or off-map indicator, the viewable region is panned in the display in the upwards direction when the cursor is on a topmost POI or off-map indicator. Otherwise, the cursor is repositioned in an upwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable region. The reverse occurs with respect to detecting of a reverse positioning signal.

Claims

1. A method for use in controlling user interface operation of a communication device which includes a positioning mechanism, the method comprising:

causing a viewable map region of a map to be visually displayed in a display;

causing a plurality of point of interest (POI) indicators to be presented in the viewable map region;

causing one or more off-map indicators to be presented in the viewable map region, each off-map indicator indicating a POI indicator which is outside of the viewable map region but within a predetermined range thereof;

in response to detecting a forward direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when a cursor in the display is on a current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a topmost POI or off-map indicator, causing the viewable map region of the map to be panned in the display in the upwards direction;

otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in an upwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region;

in response to detecting a reverse direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a bottommost POI or off-map indicator, causing the map to be panned in the display in the downwards direction; and

otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a downwards direction onto a previous POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the positioning mechanism is configured to provide leftwards and rightwards movement, controlling the user interface operation for the viewable map region by:

in response to detecting a forward direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a rightmost POI or off-map indicator, causing the viewable map region of the map to be panned in the display in the rightwards direction;

otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a rightwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region;

in response to detecting a reverse direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a leftmost POI or off-map indicator, then causing the map to be panned in the display in the leftwards direction; and

otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a leftwards direction onto a previous POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, via the user interface, an end user selection of one of a plurality of settings of the positioning mechanism which include a first setting for controlling the upwards and downwards movement and a second setting for controlling the leftwards and rightwards movement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein an order of selection of the POI indicators in the forward and the reverse directions corresponding to leftwards and rightwards directions, respectively, is determined based on a numeric order of x-axis coordinates of the POI indicators.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an order of selection of the POI indicators in the forward and the reverse directions corresponding to upwards and downwards directions, respectively, is determined based on a numeric order of y-axis coordinates of the POI indicators.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing point of interest information for a POI indicator to be visually displayed in response to detecting a selection signal when the cursor is on the POI indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a scrollwheel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a trackball.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a touch screen display.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium which are executable by a processor to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;

a user interface coupled to the one or more processors and including a display and a positioning mechanism;

the one or more processors being configured to;

cause a viewable map region of a map to be visually displayed in the display;

cause a plurality of point of interest (POI) indicators to be presented in the viewable map region;

cause one or more off-map indicators to be presented in the viewable map region, each off-map indicator indicating a POI indicator which is outside of the viewable map region but within a predetermined range thereof;

in response to detecting a forward direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when a cursor in the display is on a current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a topmost POI or off-map indicator, cause the viewable map region of the map to be panned in the display in the upwards direction;

otherwise, cause the cursor in the display to be repositioned in an upwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region;

in response to detecting a reverse direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a bottommost POI or off-map indicator, cause the map to be panned in the display in the downwards direction; and

otherwise, cause the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a downwards direction onto a previous POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein when the positioning mechanism is configured to provide leftwards and rightwards movement, the one or more processors being further configured to:

in response to detecting a forward direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a rightmost POI or off-map indicator, cause the viewable map region of the map to be panned in the display in the rightwards direction;

otherwise, cause the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a rightwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region;

in response to detecting a reverse direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator;

when the cursor is on a leftmost POI or off-map indicator, then cause the map to be panned in the display in the leftwards direction; and

otherwise, cause the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a leftwards direction onto a previous POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, via the user interface, an end user selection of one of a plurality of settings of the positioning mechanism which include a first setting for controlling the upwards and downwards movement and a second setting for controlling the leftwards and rightwards movement.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein an order of selection of the POI indicators in the forward and the reverse directions corresponding to leftwards and rightwards directions, respectively, is determined by the one or more processors based on a numeric order of x-axis coordinates of the POI indicators.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein an order of selection of the POI indicators in the forward and the reverse directions corresponding to upwards and downwards directions, respectively, is determined by the one or more processors based on a numeric order of y-axis coordinates of the POI indicators.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

cause point of interest information for a POI indicator to be visually displayed in the display in response to detecting a selection signal when the cursor is on the POI indicator.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a scrollwheel.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a trackball.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a touch screen display.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 11, comprising a cellular telephone.