Tear-Drop Way-Finding User Interfaces

1 . A method for displaying object location within a way-finding user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a viewable area of a map, the viewable area of the map corresponding to a first location;

displaying an object within the viewable area of the map, the object being at a first relative position within a first proximity to the first location;

detecting a change from the first location to a second location;

modifying the viewable area of the map to correspond to the second location; and

adjusting a display of the object within the modified viewable area of the map, wherein adjusting the display of the object within the modified viewable area of the map comprises:

determining a second relative position of the object within a second proximity to the second location, and

when the second proximity is not within range of the modified viewable area of the map, displaying a tear-drop icon at a boundary of the modified viewable area of the map pointing to the second relative position, the boundary of the modified viewable area of the map corresponding to a closest point to the second relative position of the object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the modified viewable area of the map comprises:

determining if the second proximity is within a threshold proximity, and

displaying, in response to a determination that the second proximity is within the threshold proximity, the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the modified viewable area of the map.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the modified viewable area of the map comprises displaying the tear-drop icon indicative of at least one of the following: the object, the object's relative position, the object's relative direction, and the object's proximity.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon indicative of the object's proximity comprises at least one of the following:

displaying the tear-drop icon at an opacity corresponding to the object's proximity, and

displaying the tear-drop icon at a color corresponding to the object's proximity.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of the tear-drop icon, and

providing, in response to the received selection of the tear-drop icon, information associated with the object corresponding to the tear-drop icon.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein providing, in response to the selection of the tear-drop icon, the information associated with the object corresponding to the tear-drop icon comprises:

displaying the information at a center of the modified viewable area of the map, and

displaying a projected cone that points to the corresponding object's relative location from the center of the modified viewable area of the map, the projected cone indicating one of: the object's relative direction and the object's proximity.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the modified viewable area of the map comprises:

determining if an additional tear-drop icon associated with an additional object is located at the boundary, and

combining, in response to a determination that an additional tear-drop icon associated with the additional object is located at the boundary, the tear-drop icons into a combined icon indicating that at least two tear-drop icons are located at the boundary.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of the combined icon, and

expanding, in response to the received selection of the combined icon, the at least two tear-drop icons.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a change in orientation, and

adjusting a display of the tear-drop icon to correspond to the change in orientation, wherein adjusting the display of the tear-drop icon to correspond to the change in orientation comprises displaying the tear-drop icon at a different boundary of the modified viewable area of the map.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the way-finding user interface system is configured for operation at a mobile device.

11 . A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for displaying objects within a user interface, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

displaying a first portion of a user interface corresponding to a device location;

displaying an object at a first relative position within the first portion of the user interface;

detecting a change in device location;

displaying a second portion of the user interface corresponding to the changed device location; and

adjusting a display of the object within the second portion of the user interface, wherein adjusting the display of the object within the second portion of the user interface comprises:

determining a second relative position of the object to the changed device location, and

when the second relative position of the object is not within the second portion of user interface, displaying a tear-drop icon at a boundary of the second portion of the user interface closest to the second relative position of the object.

12 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting a change in device orientation, and

adjusting a display of the tear-drop icon to correspond to the change in device orientation, wherein adjusting the display of the tear-drop icon to correspond to the change in device orientation comprises displaying the tear-drop icon at a different boundary of the second portion of the user interface.

13 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of the tear-drop icon, and

providing, in response to the received selection of the tear-drop icon, information associated with the object corresponding to the tear-drop icon.

14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the second portion of the user interface closest to the second relative position of the object comprises:

calculating a proximity of the second relative position of the object to the changed device location,

determining if the calculated proximity is within a threshold proximity, and

displaying, in response to a determination that the calculated proximity is within the threshold proximity, the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the second portion of the user interface closest to the second relative position.

15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein displaying the tear-drop icon at the boundary of the second portion of the user interface closest to the second relative position of the object comprises:

determining if an additional tear-drop icon associated with an additional object is located at the boundary, and

combining, in response to a determination that an additional tear-drop icon associated with the additional object is located at the boundary, the tear-drop icons into a combined icon indicating that at least two tear-drop icons are located at the boundary.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of the combined icon, and

expanding, in response to the received selection of the combined icon, the at least two tear-drop icons.

17 . A system for providing object information within a way-finding user interface, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

display a first portion of a user interface corresponding to a device location,

display an object at a first relative position within the user interface,

detect a change in device location,

display a second portion of the user interface corresponding to the changed device location,

determine a second relative position of the object to the changed device location,

calculate a proximity of the second relative position of the object to the changed device location,

determine if the calculated proximity is within a threshold proximity,

display, in response to a determination that the second relative position of the object is within the threshold proximity, a tear-drop icon at a boundary of the second portion of the user interface closest to the second relative position of the object,

receive a selection of the tear-drop icon, and

provide, in response to the received selection of the tear-drop icon, information associated with the object corresponding to the tear-drop icon.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the user interface is a map.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to drop, in response to a determination that the calculated proximity is not within the threshold proximity, the tear-drop from display.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processing unit is further operative to:

determine if an additional tear-drop icon associated with an additional object is located at the boundary, and

combine, in response to a determination that an additional tear-drop icon associated with the additional object is located at the boundary, the tear-drop icons into a combined icon indicating that at least two tear-drop icons are located at the boundary.