Map Icon Visibility Control via Direct Touch Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems require cumbersome processes to toggle the display of icons for arbitrary object categories on a map, lacking simplicity and ease in managing icon visibility while maintaining map presentation.
Innovation Solution
A map presentation system with an icon DISPLAY/HIDE setting unit, presentation image display, and position input receiver, allowing users to easily toggle icon visibility by inputting positions on the map, with options to set icons as 'DISPLAY' or 'HIDE' for specific categories, and including a mode setting unit and scroll control for intuitive map navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a user wants to change the display state of icons for arbitrary object categories on a map, then the user must switch from the map presentation screen to an object category selection screen and select the category, but this process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the map presentation screen and icon display settings control into a single integrated interface. The map presentation screen now directly accepts user inputs for toggling icon display states of arbitrary object categories without requiring navigation to a separate settings screen, thereby merging two previously separate functions into one unified interaction flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The map presentation screen itself provides the capability to control icon display settings directly, making the system self-sufficient for this function. Users can perform both map viewing and icon display configuration through the same interface, eliminating the need to switch to a dedicated settings screen and thereby reducing operational steps and time consumption.
2Ease of operation
If a DISPLAY/HIDE button is provided for a particular predetermined category, then the changeover between DISPLAY and HIDE states can be performed simply, but it is difficult to achieve the same for objects of other categories
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal input reception mechanism on the map presentation screen that can handle display state toggling for any object category, not just a predetermined one. The system accepts user inputs for arbitrary categories and dynamically controls the display state of corresponding icons, thereby extending the simple toggle functionality to all object categories uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the icon display control functionality by object category, allowing independent control of display states for different categories. Each object category can be individually selected and toggled through the map presentation screen, enabling precise control over which category's icons are displayed or hidden without affecting other categories.
3Ease of operation
If the map presentation screen is changed to an object category selection screen to toggle icon display, then the icon display state can be changed, but the map presentation is interrupted and the operation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the icon display control functionality directly into the map presentation screen, eliminating the need for separate screen transitions. Users can control icon display states while remaining on the map presentation screen, thereby reducing the number of screens involved in the operation and simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the icon display toggle functionality from the separate object category selection screen and integrates it into the map presentation screen. This extraction allows the core function of toggling icon display to be performed in the context where users naturally expect it (on the map screen itself), thereby reducing operational complexity and improving ease of use.
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation screen generator displays only icons of objects of an object category set as “DISPLAY” in an icon presentation control table on a map image. If a touch occurs at a position on the map image of the navigation screen where no icon is displayed, a controller sets the object category of the object corresponding to the touch position as “DISPLAY” in an icon presentation control table. Then, icons of the objects having the same object category as that of the object corresponding to touch position are displayed on the map image of the navigation screen.