Method for displaying a position on a map

1. A computer-implemented method of operating a mapping application, the method executable by a processor of an electronic device comprising a display interface, the display interface causing display of a map, the method comprising:

receiving a first coordinate indicative of a position associated with the electronic device;

receiving a second coordinate of an object having a curve displayable on the map near the position;

determining if the first coordinate lies on the curve;

upon determining that the first coordinate does not lie on the curve, identifying a point of the curve nearest to the position, said identifying comprising

identifying a first segment of the curve bounded by a first region and a second segment of the curve bounded by a second region;

determining that a distance from the position to a point of the first segment is not greater than a distance from the position to a known nearest point of the second region; and

calculating a shortest distance from the position to the first segment as a shortest distance from the position to either of the first segment and the second segment without calculating, by the processor, a distance from the position to at least one point of the second segment other than the known nearest point of the second region; and

displaying, by the display interface, an indication of the point of the curve nearest to the first coordinate on the map, the indication being indicative of a correct position associated with the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first segment of the curve bounded by the first region and the second segment of the curve bounded by the second region comprises dividing the curve into a respective monotonic segment including the first segment and the second segment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first segment of the curve bounded by the first region and the second segment of the curve bounded by the second region comprises dividing a monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein dividing the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment comprises dividing the monotonic segment of the curve into an odd number of segments, the first segment being a middle one of the odd number of segments.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein:

dividing the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment comprises dividing the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment, the second segment, and a third segment bounded by a third region, such that the third segment monotonically progresses away from the position from a known nearest point of the third region; and

identifying the point of the curve nearest to the position further comprises calculating a distance from the position to the known nearest point of the third region as a shortest distance from the position to the third segment without calculating a distance from the position to at least one point of the third segment other than the known nearest point of the third region.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the distance from the position to the point of the first segment is not greater than the distance from the position to the known nearest point of the second region comprises determining that a distance from the position to a known farthest point of the first region is not greater than the second distance.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the map is three-dimensional, the first region is a rectangular cuboid, and the known farthest point of the first region is a farthest corner of the first region.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the map is two-dimensional, the first region is a rectangle, and the known farthest point of the first region is a farthest corner of the first region.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map is three-dimensional, the second region is a rectangular cuboid, and the known nearest point of the second region is a nearest corner of the second region.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the map is two-dimensional, the second region is a rectangle, and the known nearest point of the second region is a nearest corner of the second region.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating a shortest distance from the position to the first segment as a shortest distance from the position to either of the first segment and the second segment without calculating a distance from the position to at least one point of the second segment other than the known nearest point of the second region is calculating a shortest distance from the position to the first segment as a shortest distance from the position to either of the first segment and the second segment without calculating a distance from the position to any point of the second segment other than the known nearest point of the second region.

12. A computer-implemented method of operating a mapping application, the method executable by a processor of an electronic device comprising a display interface, the display interface displaying a map, the method comprising:

receiving a first coordinate indicative of a position associated with the electronic device;

receiving a second coordinate of an object having a curve displayable on the map near the position;

determining if the first coordinate lies on the curve;

upon determining that the first coordinate does not lie on the curve, identifying a point of the curve nearest to the position, said identifying comprising

identifying a monotonic segment of the curve bounded by a region having a known nearest point to the position;

determining that the monotonic segment monotonically progresses away from the position from the known nearest point;

calculating a distance from the position to the known nearest point of the region as a shortest distance from the position to the monotonic segment without calculating, by the processor, a distance from the position to at least one point of the monotonic segment other than the known nearest point of the region; and

displaying, by the display interface, the point of the curve nearest to the first coordinate on the map, the indication being indicative of a correct position associated with the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the map is three-dimensional, the region is a rectangular cuboid, and the known nearest point of the region is a nearest corner of the region.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the map is two-dimensional, the region is a rectangle, and the known nearest point of the region is a nearest corner of the region.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein calculating a distance from the position to the known nearest point of the region as a shortest distance from the position to the monotonic segment without calculating a distance from the position to at least one point of the monotonic segment other than the known nearest point of the region is calculating a distance from the position to the known nearest point of the region as a shortest distance from the position to the monotonic segment without calculating a distance from the position to any point of the monotonic segment other than the known nearest point of the region.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions for operating a mapping application, the program instructions being executable by a processor of an electronic device comprising a display interface, to effect:

receiving a first coordinate indicative of a position associated with the electronic device;

receiving a second coordinate of an object having a curve displayable on the map near the position;

determining if the first coordinate lies on the curve;

upon determining that the first coordinate does not lie on the curve, identifying of a point of the curve nearest to the position, said identifying comprising

identifying of a first segment of the curve bounded by a first region and a second segment of the curve bounded by a second region;

determining that a distance from the position to a point of the first segment is not greater than a distance from the position to a known nearest point of the second region; and

calculating of a shortest distance from the position to the first segment as a shortest distance from the position to either of the first segment and the second segment without calculating, by the processor, a distance from the position to at least one point of the second segment other than the known nearest point of the second region; and

displaying, by the display interface, the point of the curve nearest to the first coordinate on the map, the indication being indicative of a correct position associated with the electronic device.

17. The medium of claim 16 , wherein identifying of the first segment of the curve bounded by the first region and the second segment of the curve bounded by the second region comprises dividing of the curve into monotonic segments including the first segment and the second segment.

18. The medium of claim 16 , wherein identifying of the first segment of the curve bounded by the first region and the second segment of the curve bounded by the second region comprises dividing of a monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment.

19. The medium of claim 18 , wherein dividing of the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment comprises dividing of the monotonic segment of the curve into an odd number of segments, the first segment being a middle one of the odd number of segments.

20. The medium of claim 18 , wherein dividing of the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment comprises dividing of the monotonic segment of the curve into segments including the first segment and the second segment such that the second segment monotonically progresses away from the position from a known nearest point of the second region.