Abstract: A device that provides a map and/or navigation application that displays items on the map and/or navigation instructions differently in different modes. The applications of some embodiments provide a day mode and a night mode. In some embodiments the application uses the day mode as a default and activates the night mode when the time is after sunset at the location of the device. Some embodiments activate night mode when multiple conditions are satisfied (for example, when (1) the time is after sunset at the location of the device and (2) the ambient light level is below a threshold brightness).

Abstract: A multitouch device can interpret and disambiguate different gestures related to manipulating a displayed image of a 3D object, scene, or region. Examples of manipulations include pan, zoom, rotation, and tilt. The device can define a number of manipulation modes, including one or more single-control modes such as a pan mode, a zoom mode, a rotate mode, and/or a tilt mode. The manipulation modes can also include one or more multi-control modes, such as a pan/zoom/rotate mode that allows multiple parameters to be modified simultaneously.

Abstract: For a device that runs a mapping application, a method for providing maneuver indicators along a route of a map. The maneuver indicators are arrows that identify the direction and orientation of a maneuver. A maneuver arrow may be selected and displayed differently from unselected maneuver arrows. Maneuver arrows may be selected automatically based on a user's current location. The mapping application transitions between maneuver arrows and provides an animation for the transition. Complex maneuvers may be indicated by multiple arrows, providing a more detailed guidance for a user of the mapping application.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for a mapping service. For a set of road segments that intersect at a junction in a map region, the method generates an initial set of geometries for use in generating downloadable map information for the map region. For each corner formed by the geometries at the junction, the method determines whether to perform a smoothing operation. When a particular corner meets a set of criteria, the method modifies the geometries of at least one road segment to smooth the corner.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described to provide visual feedback of a change in map view. Various embodiments may display a map view of a map in a two-dimensional map view mode. Embodiments may obtain input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode. Input may be obtained through the utilization of touch, auditory, or other well-known input technologies. Some embodiments may allow the input to request a specific display position to display. In response to the input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode, embodiments may then display an animation that moves a virtual camera for the map display to different virtual camera positions to illustrate that the map view mode is changed to a three-dimensional map view mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for rendering 3D maps may highlight a feature in a 3D map while preserving depth. A map tool of a mapping or navigation application that detects the selection of a feature in a 3D map (e.g., by touch) may perform a ray intersection to determine the feature that was selected. The map tool may capture the frame to be displayed (with the selected feature highlighted) in several steps. Each step may translate the map about a pivot point of the selected map feature (e.g., in three or four directions) to capture a new frame. The captured frames may be blended together to create a blurred map view that depicts 3D depth in the scene. A crisp version of the selected feature may then be rendered within the otherwise blurred 3D map. Color, brightness, contrast, or saturation values may be modified to further highlight the selected feature.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a navigation application that allows a user to peek ahead or behind during a turn-by-turn navigation presentation that the application provides while tracking a device (e.g., a mobile device, a vehicle, etc.) traversal of a physical route. As the device traverses along the physical route, the navigation application generates a navigation presentation that shows a representation of the device on a map traversing along a virtual route that represents the physical route on the map. While providing the navigation presentation, the navigation application can receive user input to look ahead or behind along the virtual route. Based on the user input, the navigation application moves the navigation presentation to show locations on the virtual route that are ahead or behind the displayed current location of the device on the virtual route. This movement can cause the device representation to no longer be visible in the navigation presentation.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described to selectively obtain map image data according to virtual camera velocity. Embodiments may display a map view of a map using a virtual camera. Some embodiments may detect a velocity of the virtual camera. Embodiments may then determine map image data for the map view of the map according to the velocity of the virtual camera and obtain the determined map image data. In at least some embodiments, a level-of-detail may be specified for map image data according to the velocity. Map image data may be obtained corresponding to this level-of-detail from a map service or from accessing local storage.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described to provide visual feedback of a change in map view. Various embodiments may display a map view of a map in a two-dimensional map view mode. Embodiments may obtain input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode. Input may be obtained through the utilization of touch, auditory, or other well-known input technologies. Some embodiments may allow the input to request a specific display position to display. In response to the input indicating a change to a three-dimensional map view mode, embodiments may then display an animation that moves a virtual camera for the map display to different virtual camera positions to illustrate that the map view mode is changed to a three-dimensional map view mode.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide techniques for scrubbing variable paths in content. By way of example and not limitation, scrubbing can include receiving user input that defines a scrub path and navigating a data path through content based on the scrub path. According to some embodiments, a data path can include one or more predefined paths (e.g., a travel route) through the content. One or more of the techniques can account for variations in a data path and provide ways of maintaining adjacency between a scrub path and navigation along the data path. In some embodiments, a data path can be associated with one or more types of data path content that can be presented in response to a navigation of the data path.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for efficiently identifying map tiles of a raised-relief map to retrieve from a server. An electronic device can use estimates of height(s) for various region(s) of the map to determine map tiles that are likely viewable from a given position of a virtual camera. The device can calculate the intersection of the field of view of the virtual camera with the estimated heights to determine a location of the map tiles (e.g., as determined by a 2D grid) needed. In this manner, the electronic device can retrieve, from a map server, the map tiles needed to display the image, without retrieving extraneous tiles that are not needed. Identifying such tiles can reduce the amount of data to be sent across a network and reduce the number of requests for tiles, since the correct tiles can be obtained with the first request.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described to provide a three-dimensional transition for a map view change. Various embodiments may display a map view. Embodiments may obtain input selecting another map view for display. Input may be obtained through the utilization of touch, auditory, or other well-known input technologies. In response to the input selecting a map view, embodiments may then display a transition animation that illustrates moving from the displayed map view to the selected map view in virtual space. Embodiments may then display the selected map view.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a map tool displaying a three-dimensional view of a map region, where the map tool determines whether or not partially occluded labels within the map region are to be drawn or are to not be drawn. The map tool determines whether or not to draw a label in a map view dependent upon mapping information and upon construction of a three-dimensional model based on one or more two- or three-dimensional data sets. The map tool further determines whether or not to draw a label in the map view dependent upon a measure of occlusion of a label in the map view. In order to determine a measure of occlusion, the map tool may calculate whether a line of sight projection from virtual camera viewpoint for the mobile device intersects, once or more than once, with any objects or landmarks within the three-dimensional model.

Abstract: For a device that runs a mapping application, a method for providing maneuver indicators along a route of a map. The maneuver indicators are arrows that identify the direction and orientation of a maneuver. A maneuver arrow may be selected and displayed differently from unselected maneuver arrows. Maneuver arrows may be selected automatically based on a user's current location. The mapping application transitions between maneuver arrows and provides an animation for the transition. Complex maneuvers may be indicated by multiple arrows, providing a more detailed guidance for a user of the mapping application.

Abstract: A device that provides a map and/or navigation application that displays items on the map and/or navigation instructions differently in different modes. The applications of some embodiments provide a day mode and a night mode. In some embodiments the application uses the day mode as a default and activates the night mode when the time is after sunset at the location of the device. Some embodiments activate night mode when multiple conditions are satisfied (for example, when (1) the time is after sunset at the location of the device and (2) the ambient light level is below a threshold brightness).

Abstract: Some embodiments of the map display application described herein display three-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects. When the map presentation is moved to display a new area, the three-dimensional representations rise from a ground level to their full heights and transition from transparent to opaque at the same time. The map display applications of some embodiments also remove three-dimensional representations of objects by lowering the objects from their full height to ground level and fading out the representations from opaque to transparent.

Abstract: A multitouch device can interpret and disambiguate different gestures related to manipulating a displayed image of a 3D object, scene, or region. Examples of manipulations include pan, zoom, rotation, and tilt. The device can define a number of manipulation modes, including one or more single-control modes such as a pan mode, a zoom mode, a rotate mode, and/or a tilt mode. The manipulation modes can also include one or more multi-control modes, such as a pan/zoom/rotate mode that allows multiple parameters to be modified simultaneously.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for a mapping service. For a set of road segments that intersect at a junction in a map region, the method generates an initial set of geometries for use in generating downloadable map information for the map region. For each corner formed by the geometries at the junction, the method determines whether to perform a smoothing operation. When a particular corner meets a set of criteria, the method modifies the geometries of at least one road segment to smooth the corner.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for generating road data. The method receives data regarding several road segments and several junctions for a map region. The road segments include a first road segment and a second road segment that intersect at a particular junction. The method determines whether the first road segment and the second road segment are separate segments of a same road. When the first and second road segments are separate segments of the same road, the method defines an aggregate road that references the first and second road segments. In some embodiments, the method determines whether the first and second road segments are separate segments of the same road by using location data and road properties of the first and second road segments. In some embodiments, the aggregate road is stored as an ordered list of road segments that link together at junctions.

Abstract: The embodiments described relate to techniques and systems for utilizing a portable electronic device to monitor, process, present and manage data captured by a series of sensors and location awareness technologies to provide a context aware map and navigation application. The context aware map application offers a user interface including visual and audio input and output, and provides several map modes that can change based upon context determined by data captured by a series of sensors and location awareness technologies.