Providing navigation instructions while operating navigation application in background

• US 8,965,696 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: van Os, Marcel, Vulcano, Emanuele, Cato, Andrew B., Moore, Bradford A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US13/632,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 877 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701/418, 701425-440, 701532-533, 701/538, 340988-990, 340/995.1, 340/995.11, 715835-836, 715850-855
• US Class Current: 701/538
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3608 using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 : for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 : in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 : Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 : Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 : by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 : for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 : including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 : by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 : by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of displaying navigational instructions when a navigation application is running in a background mode of an electronic device is provided. The method displays a non-navigation application in the foreground on a display screen of the electronic device. The method displays a navigation bar without a navigation instruction when the device is not near a navigation point. The method displays the navigation bar with a navigation instruction when the device is near a navigation point. In some embodiments, the method receives a command to switch from running the navigation application in the foreground to running another screen view in the foreground. The method then runs the other screen view in the foreground while displaying a navigation status display on an electronic display of the device.

Claims

1. A method of displaying navigational instructions when a navigation application is running in a background mode of an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying an output display of a non-navigation application that is running in the foreground on a display screen of the electronic device; and

displaying a navigation status bar on the display screen such that the navigation status bar overlays a portion of the output display of the non-navigation application,

wherein when the device is not approaching a navigation point, the navigation status bar does not provide any navigation instruction, and

when the device is approaching a navigation point, the navigation status bar provides a navigation instruction for the navigation point.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the navigation status bar; and

in response to the selection of the navigation status bar, moving the navigation application to the foreground and displaying an output display of the navigation application on the display screen of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the electronic device passes the navigation point, displaying a next navigation instruction temporarily until a threshold is reached; and

upon reaching the threshold, displaying the navigation status bar without providing a navigation instruction again.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold is a threshold distance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation instruction comprises a distance to the navigation point and a direction to take upon reaching the navigation point.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, upon reaching a destination, removing the navigation status bar from the display screen.

7. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processor displays navigational instructions when a navigation application is executing in a background mode of an electronic device, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying an output display of a non-navigation application that is executing in the foreground on a display screen of the electronic device; and

displaying a navigation status bar on the display screen such that the navigation status bar overlays a portion of the output display of the non-navigation application,

wherein when the device is not approaching a navigation point, the navigation status bar does not provide any navigation instruction, and

when the device is approaching a navigation point, the navigation status bar provides a navigation instruction for the navigation point.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 7, the program further comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving a selection of the navigation status bar; and

in response to the selection of the navigation status bar, moving the navigation application to the foreground and displaying an output display of the navigation application on the display screen of the electronic device.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 7, the program further comprising sets of instructions for:

when the electronic device passes the navigation point, displaying a next navigation instruction temporarily until a threshold is reached; and

upon reaching the threshold, displaying the navigation status bar without providing a navigation instruction again.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the threshold is a threshold period of time.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 7, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.

12. A method of running a navigation application in a background mode of an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a command to switch from running the navigation application with a first screen view in the foreground to running a non-navigation application with a second screen view in the foreground, wherein when the navigation application is running in the foreground, the first screen view is displayed on a display screen of the device and when the non-navigation application is running in the foreground, the second screen view is displayed on the display screen of the electronic device; and

upon receiving the command, running the non-navigation application in the foreground and displaying a navigation status bar over a portion of the second screen view on the display screen of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a selection of the navigation status bar; and

switching back to running the navigation application in the foreground.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising, upon approaching a junction on a list of junctions of a navigation route, displaying, on the navigation status bar, a navigation direction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the navigation direction comprises a turn arrow and a text indicator to turn at the junction.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein approaching a junction comprises coming within a threshold distance of the junction.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the navigation status bar is displayed over a portion of the second screen view that is near an edge of the electronic device'"'"'s display screen.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the bar is twice the width of a standard status bar that is displayed on the display screen of the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising, upon reaching a destination, removing the navigation status bar from the display screen.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which, when executed by at least one processing unit, runs a navigation application in a background mode of an electronic device, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving a command to switch from running the navigation application with a first screen view in the foreground to running a non-navigation application with a second screen view in the foreground, wherein when the navigation application is running in the foreground, the first screen view is displayed on a display screen of the device and when the non-navigation application is running in the foreground, the second screen view is displayed on the display screen of the electronic device; and

upon receiving the command, running the non-navigation application in the foreground and displaying a navigation status bar over a portion of the second screen view on the display screen of the electronic device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving a selection of the navigation status bar; and

switching back to running the navigation application in the foreground.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for, upon approaching a junction on a list of junctions of a navigation route, displaying, on the navigation status bar, a navigation direction.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the navigation direction comprises a turn arrow and a text indicator to turn at the junction.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein approaching a junction comprises coming within a threshold distance of the junction.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the navigation status bar comprises a set of instructions for displaying the navigation status bar over a portion of the second screen view that is near an edge of the electronic device'"'"'s display screen.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the bar is twice the width of a standard status bar that is displayed on the display screen of the electronic device.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for, upon reaching a destination, removing the navigation status bar from the display screen.