Map Context Sharing with Result Cards

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing online mapping systems are inefficient when sharing plans that involve multiple locations and activities, as users must redundantly enter and share information, leading to loss of fidelity and poor efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for generating a shared URL that includes selected result cards displayed on a map, allowing users to easily share and view the same map context with others, including locations, directions, and activities, by encoding the map context with the URL for navigation in another browser.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If users manually enter and share information about locations and activities with multiple people, then the information can be communicated to others, but the process is inefficient and leads to loss of information fidelity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of sharing plansVSAvoidloss of fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a visual copy of the map context with result cards that can be shared directly. Instead of manually re-entering information, the entire map context including locations, directions, and activities is captured as a visual representation that can be distributed to multiple users simultaneously, maintaining fidelity while improving efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple pieces of information (locations, directions, activities, map context) into a single integrated visual display. This merging allows all plan-related information to be shared together in one action rather than separately, preventing information loss and improving sharing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple stops and activities are added to plans beyond the main event, then the plan becomes more comprehensive, but the complexity of sharing and coordinating this information increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensiveness of planVSAvoidcomplexity of information sharing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the comprehensive plan information into discrete result cards that are displayed on the map. Each result card represents a specific location or activity, allowing the complex plan to be broken down into manageable visual units that can be easily shared and understood by all participants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The map context sharing feature serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays locations, provides directions, lists activities, and enables sharing with multiple users. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive plans to be managed through a single unified interface rather than multiple separate tools

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10101878B2Sharing map context including result cards

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for sharing a map context of an originating computer user with a plurality of other users is presented. An originating user identifies at least some of a plurality of result cards displayed in conjunction with a map displayed in a browser view with one or more other users. A shared URL is generated according to the map context comprising at least the selected result cards. The shared URL is configured such that navigation by another browser on another computing device according to the shared URL displays the map context in a browser view of the another browser and the selected result cards in conjunction with the map in the browser view.