System and method for providing multimodal visual time aware graphical displays

1. A system for providing a graphical display, the system comprising:

a user input device;

a memory in which computer-executable instructions are stored; and

a processor operably connected to the user input device, and to the memory, and configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive from the user input device at least one point of interest;

receive environmental data, in response to a query from the user input and output device identifying a geographical area, from an environment data collection device, the environmental data including traffic data within the identified geographic area;

generate, based upon the environmental data, a time-aware geo-fence of the identified geographical area, the time-aware geo-fence indicating a plurality of areas within the identified geographical area, each of the plurality of areas associated with a respective time range, such that navigation from a present location of the user input device to any selected location within one of the plurality of areas is possible within the respective time range associated with the one of the plurality of areas in which the selected location is located based upon the traffic data; and

output on a display a map that includes the at least one point of interest and a graphical display of the time-aware geo-fence.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the environment data collection device is associated with a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the environment data collection device comprises a sensor device mounted on the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the environment data collection device is a network device, wherein the network device is configured to receive the environmental data from an online information source.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising map data stored in the memory, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

associate the map data with at least one of a virtual environment, texture data, environment lighting data, and weather conditions and seasonal effects data using at least one of a set of control parameters and a set of rendering parameters; and

output on the display the map with the associated at least one of the virtual environment, texture data, environment lighting data, and weather conditions and seasonal effects data.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the map data is three dimensional map data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

determine a first of the plurality of areas by determining a first area, within the identified geographical area, within which all locations can be navigated to within a first time range;

determine a second of the plurality of areas by determining a second area, within the identified geographical area, within which all locations can be navigated to within a second time range, the second area greater than and encompassing the first area;

output on the display a first boundary associated with the first determined area; and

output on the display a second boundary associated with the second determined area.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

associate the map data with weather conditions and seasonal effects data; and

output on the display the map with the associated weather conditions and seasonal effects data.

9. A method for providing a graphical display, the method comprising:

receiving, with a processor, at least one point of interest from a user input device;

receiving, with the processor, in response to a query from the user input device identifying a geographical area, environmental data from an environment data collection device, the environmental data including traffic data within the identified geographic area;

generating, by the processor, based upon the environmental data, a time-aware geo-fence of the identified geographical area, the time-aware geo-fence indicating a plurality of areas within the identified geographical area, each of the plurality of areas associated with a respective time range, such that navigation from a present location of the user input device to any selected location within one of the plurality of areas is possible within the respective time range associated with the one of the plurality of areas in which the selected location is located based upon the traffic data; and

outputting, by the processor, on a display a map that includes the at least one point of interest and a graphical display of the time-aware geo-fence.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the environment data collection device is associated with a vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the environment data collection device comprises a sensor device mounted on the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the environment data collection device is a network device, wherein the network device is configured to receive the environment data from an online information source.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein map data is stored in a memory, the method further comprising:

associating the map data with at least one of a virtual environment, texture data, environment lighting data, and weather conditions and seasonal effects data using at least one of a set of control parameters and a set of rendering parameters; and

outputting on the display the map with the associated least one of the virtual environment, texture data, environment lighting data, and weather conditions and seasonal effects data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the map data is three dimensional map data.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating a time-aware geo-fence further comprises:

determining a first of the plurality of areas by determining a first area, within the identified geographical area, within which all locations can be navigated to within a first time range; and

determining a second of the plurality of areas by determining a second area, within the identified geographical area, within which all locations can be navigated to within a second time range, the second area greater than and encompassing the first area, wherein outputting comprises:

outputting on the display a first boundary associated with the first determined area; and

outputting on the display a second boundary associated with the second determined area.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein map data is stored in a memory, the method further comprising:

associating the map data with weather conditions and seasonal effects data; and

outputting on the display the map with the associated weather conditions and seasonal effects data.