User interface methods and apparatus for controlling the visual display of maps having selectable map elements in mobile communication devices

摘要

A viewable map region of a map is visually displayed in a display, and a plurality of point of interest (POI) indicators are presented in the viewable region. One or more off-map indicators are also presented in the viewable region, where each off-map indicator indicates a POI indicator outside of the viewable region but within a predetermined range. In response to detecting a forward signal when a cursor is on a current POI or off-map indicator, the viewable region is panned in the display in the upwards direction when the cursor is on a topmost POI or off-map indicator. Otherwise, the cursor is repositioned in an upwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable region. The reverse occurs with respect to detecting of a reverse positioning signal.

主权项

1. A method for use in controlling user interface operation of a communication device which includes a positioning mechanism, the method comprising:
causing a viewable map region of a map to be visually displayed in a display; causing a plurality of point of interest (POI) indicators to be presented in the viewable map region; causing one or more off-map indicators to be presented in the viewable map region, each off-map indicator indicating a POI indicator which is outside of the viewable map region but within a predetermined range thereof; in response to detecting a forward direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when a cursor in the display is on a current POI or off-map indicator: when the cursor is on a topmost POI or off-map indicator, causing the viewable map region of the map to be panned in the display in the upwards direction; otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in an upwards direction onto a next POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region;in response to detecting a reverse direction positioning signal from the positioning mechanism when the cursor is on the current POI or off-map indicator:
when the cursor is on a bottommost POI or off-map indicator, causing the map to be panned in the display in the downwards direction; and otherwise, causing the cursor in the display to be repositioned in a downwards direction onto a previous POI or off-map indicator in the viewable map region without panning the viewable map region.