Method and system for displaying navigation information on an electronic map

1. A method for displaying object vector indicators (“OVI”) referencing map-objects (“MO”) on an electronic map, comprising:

providing an electronic device having a map-display application that is coupled to a mapping service and a display for displaying a selected area of the electronic map;

determining that coordinates of the MO are not within the selected area of the electronic map;

computing distance and travel-related information from a location within the selected area of the electronic map to the MO;

computing a placement position of an OVI referencing the MO on the map-display application;

creating the OVI containing the distance and travel-related information;

displaying the OVI on the display at the computed placement position;

receiving user input selecting the OVI;

displaying a secondary area of the electronic map, wherein the secondary area is a region of the electronic map centered approximately around the MO; and

displaying the MO approximately at the center of the secondary area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is the center of the selected area of the electronic map.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location within the selected area of the electronic map is a location marker.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the location marker is selected by the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input is a voice command.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the MO.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing the placement position of the OVI step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing the distance-and-travel information includes at least one of the following: an aerial distance to the MO, a travel distance to the MO, a visual indicator pointing in the direction of the MO, and an estimated travel-time to the MO.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the travel-distance to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the estimated travel-time to the MO is computed by selecting a travel route according to various user preferences and travel-route selection algorithms.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received user input is result of the user touching the display at a location of the display approximately corresponding to the OVI displayed.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step is repeated in response to a change in the position of the MO.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step and the computing the placement position of the OVI step are repeated in response to a change in travel conditions.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing distance-and-travel information step further comprises:

obtaining position of the electronic device;

transmitting the position of the electronic device to a remote server; and

receiving from the remote server the distance-and-travel information.

16. The method of claim 1 , further including:

computing distance and travel-related information from the OVI to the selected area of the electronic map;

computing a placement position of a second OVI referencing the selected area of the electronic map;

creating the second OVI including the distance and travel-related information;

displaying the second OVI on the display at the computed placement position.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a GPS-enabled navigation unit.

18. A method of panning an electronic map, comprising:

receiving a list of map objects (“MOs”);

determining the geographic coordinates of the MOs; and

determining that the MOs are outside bounds of a first area of the map visible to a user;

creating an object vector indicator (“OVI”) for each of the MOs;

displaying the OVIs on the electronic map;

receiving user input selecting one of the OVIs;

determining one of the MOs referenced by the selected OVI;

panning the electronic map to display a secondary area of the map, wherein the secondary area is a region of the electronic map encompassing the determined one of the MOs; and

wherein the determined one of the MOs is approximately at the center of the secondary area.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising animating the panning transition of the electronic map from displaying the first area to displaying the secondary area, wherein the animation includes the steps of:

a. defining a number of animation steps;

b. defining a time delay;

c. defining a small travel distance;

d. determining a path between the determined one of the MOs and an approximate center of the first area of the map;

e. panning the map by the small travel distance in the direction of the determined one of the MOs;

f. waiting an amount of time specified by the time delay; wherein the steps e-f are repeated until the determined one of the MOs is approximately at the center of the displayed secondary map.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein creating an OVI includes calculating a distance, a direction and a travel time from a point in the first area of the map, to the location of the MO.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the point in the first area of the map corresponds to the location of the electronic device.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of panning the map by a small interval further includes:

defining a travel route; and

panning the map along the defined travel route.

23. A method for selecting information to display in an electronic map display application, comprising:

displaying a first portion of an electronic map generated by the electronic map display application;

displaying an object vector indicator (“OVI”);

receiving a user input;

determining that the user input is associated with the OVI;

determining a second portion of the electronic map; and

displaying the second portion of the electronic map by the electronic map display application.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the determining the second portion of the electronic map comprises:

determining a map object (“MO”) referenced by the OVI;

determining coordinates of the MO;

panning the electronic map such that the center of the electronic map corresponds approximately to the coordinates of the MO.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the displaying the second portion of the electronic map includes animation.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the animation includes panning the electronic map in small intervals along a travel route until the center of the electronic map corresponds approximately to the coordinates of the MO.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the travel route spans a distance from a point on the first portion of the electronic map to the MO.

28. A method for creating and displaying an object vector indicator (“OVI”) on an electronic map of a global navigation system (“GPS”) device, comprising:

a) providing the GPS device having a map display application that is coupled to a map-content service and a display for displaying a portion of the electronic map;

b) receiving coordinates of the GPS device;

c) receiving information on a map-object (“MO”);

d) determining coordinates of the MO from the received information;

e) determining a range of coordinates inclusive of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

f) calculating that the coordinates of the MO are not within the range of coordinates of the displayed portion of the electronic map;

g) creating the OVI to reference the MO;

h) calculating the placement of the OVI on the display;

i) displaying the OVI on the display;

j) receiving user input selecting the OVI; and

k) panning the electronic map such that the MO is displayed approximately at the center of the electronic map.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the step of creating the OVI includes:

calculating the direction, distance and travel-time from the position of the electronic device to the MO; and

including the calculated data in the OVI.

30. The method of claim 28 , further comprising:

changing at least one of: GPS coordinates of the GPS device; MO information; a zoom-level of the electronic map.