Dynamic Indicator Sizing on Digital Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing geographic applications face challenges in improving the visibility and reducing erroneous selection of indicators on digital maps, as they often clutter the screen and lack effective methods to prioritize visually significant indicators based on user interest and proximity.
Innovation Solution
A geographic application dynamically varies visual properties such as size, color, and text of indicators based on their distance from the map viewport's focal point, user device location, or touchscreen contact, allowing for enhanced visibility and reduced clutter by emphasizing more relevant indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If indicators are displayed with uniform visual properties on a digital map, then the map display is simple and consistent, but the visibility of important indicators is poor and screen real estate is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the visual properties of indicators based on their spatial relationship with the user's current location or selected area on the map. Indicators closer to the focal point are displayed with enhanced visual properties (larger size, different color, more prominent icon) compared to those farther away, creating localized differentiation that improves visibility of relevant indicators without requiring complete redesign of all indicators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making indicator visual properties changeable and adaptive rather than fixed. The visual characteristics of indicators dynamically adjust based on real-time factors such as distance from the focal point, zoom level, or user interaction state, allowing the display to adapt to different viewing contexts and improve visibility when needed
2Ease of operation
If all indicators are displayed with the same size and detail, then the map view remains consistent, but users must zoom in to read smaller indicator details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the visual properties of indicators based on their spatial relationship with the user's current location or selected area on the map. Indicators closer to the focal point are displayed with enhanced visual properties (larger size, different color, more prominent icon) compared to those farther away, creating localized differentiation that improves visibility of relevant indicators without requiring complete redesign of all indicators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-enhancing the visual properties of indicators that are likely to be of interest to the user based on their proximity to the focal point or current location. This preliminary differentiation is performed automatically without requiring user initiation, so that when users need to read details, the most relevant indicators are already in an optimal viewing state
3Reliability
If indicator visual properties are varied based on proximity to focal point, then important indicators are more visible, but the map display becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the visual properties of indicators based on their spatial relationship with the user's current location or selected area on the map. Indicators closer to the focal point are displayed with enhanced visual properties (larger size, different color, more prominent icon) compared to those farther away, creating localized differentiation that improves visibility of relevant indicators without requiring complete redesign of all indicators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by systematically varying one or more visual parameters (size, color, icon type, transparency) of indicators based on their distance from the focal point or other spatial relationships. This parameter-based differentiation provides a structured approach to improving visibility while maintaining control over the complexity of the display system
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A digital map is displayed via a user interface in a map viewport. The digital map includes various features representing respective entities in a geographic area, each of the features being displayed at a same level of magnification. Geolocated points of interest are determined within the geographic area, and a focal point of the map viewport is determined. For each of indicators, the size of the indicator is varied in accordance with the distance between the geographic location corresponding to the indicator and the geographic location corresponding to the focal point of the map viewport. The indicators then are displayed on the digital map.