Synchronization for mapping applications

• US 9,538,319 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gigliotti, Samuel S., Kornfeld, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/528,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 701/408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A user can access a mapping application from multiple devices, and updates made through one application can automatically be synchronized across the other devices. In some embodiments, a number of different activities of a user, such as entering an address or selecting a route, can cause information for that activity to be provided to a logically centralized system or service. The system or service then can notify the other devices of updated map state information for the user, which those devices can then request or download. The map information can include point of interest (POI) information from a number of sources, such as from a media information source that is able to provide POI information for locations associated with books, movies, music, and other types of media.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of synchronizing mapping information, comprising:

receiving, by a mapping service, a first request for mapping information from a map application executing on a first client device;

providing, by the mapping service, the mapping information to the first client device in response to the first request;

determining media information corresponding to one or more media items associated with a user of the first client device;

determining media location information corresponding to the one or more media items;

providing to the first client device the media information and the media location information;

receiving, by the mapping service, a communication from the first client device, the communication including at least information representing an interaction with the mapping information on the first client device, the interaction associated with a display view of the mapping information on the first client device;

storing the information representing the interaction with the mapping information;

receiving a second request by at least one second device, the second request enabling the at least one second device to display the mapping information, the information representing the interaction with the mapping information, the media information, and the media location information; and

at substantially a same time, automatically sending to the at least one second device, by the mapping service, the mapping information, the information representing the interaction, the media information, and the media location information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information representing the interaction with the mapping information on the first client device includes information specifying at least one of a route selected on the first client device, a point of interest selected on the first client device, an address entered on the first client device, a map query submitted on the first client device, a display location of a map, or a zoom level of a map display.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information representing the interaction with the mapping information is received in response to at least one of the first client device detecting the interaction, the mapping application being opened on the first client device, the mapping application being closed on the first client device, or a passage of a determined amount of time.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the mapping service, a second communication from the second device representing a second interaction with the mapping information; and

sending, by the mapping service, a notification to the first client device regarding updated mapping information from the second communication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mapping information includes at least one of a current view displayed by the map application, a current location specified by the map application, a route determined by the map application, or content displayed through the map application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mapping information is sent by the mapping service to the at least one second device in order to synchronize the mapping information, corresponding to a view of the map application last displayed on the first client device, across the first client device and the at least one second device.

7. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving display view data, the display view data representing an interaction with mapping information associated with a mapping application on a first client device;

receiving media information, the media information corresponding to one or more media items associated with a user of the first client device; and

receiving media location information, the media location information corresponding to the one or media items;

storing the display view data;

storing the media information;

storing the media location information; and

at substantially a same time, automatically providing, by a mapping service, at least a portion of the display view data, the media information, and the media location information to at least one second client device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the at least a portion of the display view data is provided to the at least one second client device in order to synchronize the mapping information last displayed on the first client device across the first client device and the at least one second client device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the mapping information includes one or more points of interest (POI) obtained from a media information service corresponding to a portion of a map displayed through the mapping application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of the one or more POI includes locations related to one or more media items.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the media items include at least one of a book, a movie, a video game, or a music file.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the portion of the display view data to provide to a second client device of the at least one second client device based at least in part upon a characteristic of the at least one second client device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the display view data is provided in response to at least one of the first client device detecting an interaction with the mapping application, the mapping application being opened on the first client device, the mapping application being closed on the first client device, or a passage of a determined amount of time.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the mapping information being provided to the at least one second client device is configured to display the mapping information displayed on the first client device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the display view data is capable of being provided to each of the at least one second client device.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein a copy of the display view data is stored by a mapping service remote to the first client device and the at least one second client device.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 7,

further comprising automatically sending a notification to at least one second client device, the notification indicating that the display view data has been stored, the notification including the display view data.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein providing the at least a portion of the display view data to the at least one second client device enables the at least one second client device to display the mapping information last displayed on the first client device without reentry of information associated with the mapping information on the at least one second client device.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the one or more media items are available to purchase, to view, to borrow, or to download from an electronic retailer.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the locations related to the one or more media items are related to the one or more media items by being referenced by the one or more media items, or by being associated with the creation of the one or more media items.

18. A computing system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to;

receive display view data representing an interaction with mapping information displayed by a mapping application on a first client device;

store the display view data;

receive media information, the media information corresponding to one or more media items associated with a user of the first client device;

store the media information;

receive media location information, the media location information corresponding to the one or more media items;

store the media location information;

determine one or more mapping information updates by comparing the stored display view data to data for past mapping information previously received from the first client device;

store data corresponding to the one or more mapping information updates; and

at substantially a same time, automatically send the media information, the media location information, and at least a portion of the data corresponding to the one or more mapping information updates to at least one second client device, the provided data corresponding to mapping information last displayed on the first client device.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the past mapping information previously received with respect to the mapping application is received from the at least one second client device.

20. The computing system of claim 18, wherein different portions of the mapping information updates are provided to each of the at least one second client device based at least in part upon one or more aspects of the at least one second client device.

24. The computing system of claim 18, wherein providing the at least a portion of the display view data to the at least one second client device enables the at least one second client device to display the mapping information last displayed on the first client device without reentry of information associated with the mapping information on the at least one second client device.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, enable the computing system to:

receive display view data, the display view data representing an interaction with mapping information associated with a mapping application on a first client device;

receive media information, the media information corresponding to one or more media items associated with a user of the first client device; and

receive media location information, the media location information corresponding to the one or media items;

store the display view data;

store the media information;

store the media location information; and

at substantially a same time, automatically provide, by a mapping service, at least a portion of the display view data, the media information, and the media location information to at least one second client device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the computing system to:

determine the portion of the display view data to provide to a second client device of the at least one second client device based at least in part upon a characteristic of the at least one second client device.