Method and apparatus for rendering items in a user interface

1. A method comprising:

determining one or more items for rendering in a user interface;

causing, at least in part, a determination of one or more rendering locations in a three-dimensional model space for one or more representations of the one or more items based, at least in part, on location information associated with the one or more items;

sorting the one or more items by distance from a viewing angle such that a closest item is selected as an initial reference for an overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

causing, at least in part, a grouping, a de-overlapping, or a combination thereof of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

causing, at least in part, a rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the grouping, the de-overlapping, or a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, a dynamic resizing of the one or more rendered representations based on the distance from the viewing angle.

2. A method of claim 1 , wherein the de-overlapping includes, at least in part, a horizontal displacement of the one or more rendering locations.

3. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

determine one or more items for rendering in a user interface;

cause, at least in part, a determination of one or more rendering locations in a three-dimensional model space for one or more representations of the one or more items based, at least in part, on location information associated with the one or more items;

sort the one or more items by distance from a viewing angle such that a closest item is selected as an initial reference for an overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

cause, at least in part, a grouping, a de-overlapping, or a combination thereof of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

cause, at least in part, a rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the grouping, the de-overlapping, or a combination thereof; and

cause, at least in part, a dynamic resizing of the one or more rendered representations based on the distance from the viewing angle.

4. An apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the de-overlapping includes, at least in part, a horizontal displacement of the one or more rendering locations.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile phone further comprising:

user interface circuitry and user interface software configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone through use of a display and configured to respond to user input; and

a display and display circuitry configured to display at least a portion of a user interface of the mobile phone, the display and display circuitry configured to facilitate user control of at least some functions of the mobile phone.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable program code stored therein, the computer executable program code comprising program code instructions for:

determining one or more items for rendering in a user interface;

causing, at least in part, a determination of one or more rendering locations in a three-dimensional model space for one or more representations of the one or more items based, at least in part, on location information associated with the one or more items;

sorting the one or more items by distance from a viewing angle such that a closest item is selected as an initial reference for an overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

causing, at least in part, a grouping, a de-overlapping, or a combination thereof of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on the overlapping of the one or more rendering locations;

causing, at least in part, a rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the grouping, the de-overlapping, or a combination thereof; and

causing, at least in part, a dynamic resizing of the one or more rendered representations based on the distance from the viewing angle.

7. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining polar coordinates from the location information associated with the one or more items relative to the viewing angle;

mapping onto a predetermined surface for representing the one or more items based on the determined polar coordinates; and

causing, at least in part, the rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the mapping.

8. An apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

determine polar coordinates from the location information associated with the one or more items relative to the viewing angle;

map onto a predetermined surface for representing the one or more items based on the determined polar coordinates; and

cause, at least in part, the rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the mapping.

9. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 6 wherein the computer executable program code further comprise program code instructions for:

determining polar coordinates from the location information associated with the one or more items relative to the viewing angle;

mapping onto a predetermined surface for representing the one or more items based on the determined polar coordinates; and

causing, at least in part, the rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the mapping.