Map Lens Interface for Dynamic Marker Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user interfaces with geographical maps struggle to efficiently display and manage markers, leading to visual clutter and making it difficult for users to focus on specific regions of interest, as markers from unselected areas remain visible, overwhelming the user with unnecessary information.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a 'map lens' feature, which allows users to select a region of the map by superimposing a shape (e.g., circle or hexagon) that moves over the map, displaying only markers within the selected area and providing an information box with relevant details, thus filtering out unwanted information and enhancing visual clarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all markers on the map are displayed simultaneously, then complete information is provided, but visual clutter increases and user focus is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the map display into multiple zoomable levels, where each level shows a different set of markers appropriate to that scale. Users can navigate between zoom levels to see either a comprehensive overview or focused details without overwhelming visual clutter at any single level.
Solution Approach 2:
The display dynamically adjusts which markers are visible based on the current zoom level and user interaction. As users zoom in or out, the system automatically updates the visible marker set, transitioning smoothly between different information densities to maintain clarity while preserving access to complete information.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If zooming in to focus on a specific region, then visual clarity improves, but the visible area covered decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to the map display by maintaining a history of visited regions and allowing users to navigate back to previous views. This enables users to zoom in for detailed examination knowing they can return to the broader context, effectively adding a time-travel capability to the spatial navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary overview map or breadcrumb navigation that shows the user's current location within the broader context. This intermediary element allows users to maintain awareness of the overall area even when zoomed in on a specific region, bridging the gap between detailed view and global context.
3Loss of information
If displaying more markers to cover a larger area, then information completeness improves, but processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by rendering high-detail markers and full information only in the currently visible region, while using lower-detail representations or omitting markers in distant regions. This ensures computational resources are focused on displaying information where the user actually needs it, rather than uniformly processing all markers across the entire map area.
Data Source
AI summary
A map lens may take the form of a shape that may be superimposed on a map displayed in the user interface, moved around the map by the user, and activated by the user to select a region of the map bounded by the map lens. Activation of the map lens may cause the user interface to display only those markers that are within the region bounded by the map lens. In situations where the user moves the map lens over unselected regions of the map, the user interface may dynamically show or hide markers on the map. This may have the effect of presenting to the user a visually uncluttered map in which markers are only shown in the region in which the user has expressed some interest, as indicated by the user moving the map lens to that region of the map.