Dynamic Map Location Prominence for Search Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation devices face challenges with slow and cumbersome guided searches, and free text searches that require additional processing to reduce search spaces, leading to slower retrieval of results, and struggle to effectively display location information on digital maps in a user-friendly manner.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device with a data processing system and index associating words with data records, allowing for quick and flexible searches using a free text search string, normalizing inputs to handle variations, and generating ranked results and suggestions, while displaying GUI elements of different prominence levels on a digital map to enhance user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If guided search is used in navigation devices, then search accuracy is improved, but search speed and user convenience deteriorate due to slow and cumbersome multi-step processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-processes and indexes location data in advance, organizing it into searchable structures before actual search operations. This preliminary organization enables rapid retrieval during user searches without requiring multi-step guided input processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified representations or copies of location data that can be quickly searched without processing the entire detailed dataset. This allows fast search operations while maintaining accuracy by referencing the pre-processed data structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If free text search is used to improve search flexibility, then user convenience is improved, but processing time increases due to additional processing required to reduce search spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary indexing of free text data during data preparation, creating optimized search structures that enable rapid full-text searching without requiring additional processing during actual search operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical search space reduction processes with electronic text processing and pattern matching algorithms, enabling flexible free text searching without the time-consuming manual filtering steps of conventional systems.
3Loss of information
If detailed location information is displayed on digital maps, then information completeness is improved, but user interface complexity increases making it less user-friendly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different display qualities to different regions of the map interface, showing detailed information only where relevant to the user's current view or selection, while maintaining simplicity in other areas. This allows complete information to be available on demand without overwhelming the interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic display characteristics where the amount and type of information shown adapts based on user interaction, zoom level, and context. This enables the interface to present simple views by default while providing comprehensive details when users need them, maintaining ease of operation throughout.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable electronic device is disclosed comprising: data processing means; data repository containing data representative of a digital map; and display means. The device further comprises means for, in relation to data representative of a plurality locations relevant to the digital map, providing, on a representation of the digital map displayed on the display, for each of the locations, one of a plurality of different graphical user interface (GUI) elements characterised by different prominence levels to indicate the locations, wherein the prominence level of the GUI element used for each location is dependent on the level of detail at which the digital map is displayed and a deemed relevance of that location to a user query.