WO2009083685A1

WO2009083685A1 - Visualization of the location of an object

Info

Publication number: WO2009083685A1
Application number: PCT/FR2008/052338
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Abinakhoul; Laetitia Mathieu
Original assignee: France Telecom
Priority date: 2007-12-18
Filing date: 2008-12-17
Publication date: 2009-07-09

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a visualization of a location on a map associated with zoom levels. The location may arise from at least one means of location and according to the invention the zoom level used to display the map is dependent on the means of location used.

Description

Visualization of the location of an object.

Technical area

The invention relates to the visualization of the location of an object, and particularly to the location of a mobile object.

The visualization of the location can be performed by any means capable of reproducing an image, namely a screen, a hologram, etc.

The location can be achieved by any means of localization. The location can be obtained by calculation using localization means known to those skilled in the art, for example location means using GPS positioning (Global Localization System), a location means using the mobile telephone networks such as the time differential better known as the EOTD (Enhanced Observed Time Difference), the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) cell identification system, triangulation, etc.

The location can also be obtained without calculation by a user able to provide the location of the object.

State of the art

There are now programs for viewing the location of an object on a map. The map appears on the screen with a default zoom level. Thus, when the user receives the map and a location of an object on the screen, it can increase the zoom level and obtain a closer effect or decrease the zoom level and obtain a remoteness effect.

The inventors have identified an unexplored possibility of performing a visualization of a location on a map.

The invention For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a method of displaying a location of an object on a map associated with zoom levels, a location originating from at least one location means, characterized in that the zoom level used to display the map is a function of said at least one location means.

Thanks to the invention, a user who receives a location of an object on a map will obtain a map with a zoom level adapted to the accuracy of the location means. Thus, unlike the state of the art, the zoom level is not set by default. It is therefore understood that the type of the location means has an influence on the choice of the zoom level associated with the map displayed on the screen.

Note that a location can be obtained by means of a location means or several location means contributing to obtaining a location. Note also that a location is considered inaccurate when it deviates from the actual location of a previously defined value. Conversely, a location is considered accurate when the difference is smaller than the previously defined value. This value is arbitrary and is usually chosen according to the degree of precision desired.

According to a variant of the method, the visualization of the location on the map is associated with zoom levels to be selected, in that at least one zoom level is inhibited at the selection, and in that said at least one level of zoom is inhibited zoom is the one providing imprecise location. Thus, levels with little or no accuracy are inhibited in the selection. The user can only select zoom levels with precise location.

According to one variant, the zoom level used for displaying the map is the maximum level beyond which a reconciliation effect provides an inaccurate location. Thus, if said at least one locating means used to obtain the location makes it possible to use several zoom levels with precision, this variant makes it possible to directly display a map with a zoom level having the maximum approximation effect. For example, if the zoom levels in question correspond to a region, city, and street, and these three levels of zoom are judged accurate, the map will be displayed in this case with a zoom level offering the maximum approximation effect, namely in our example the zoom level that corresponds to a street.

According to a variant of the method, a message indicates that the level of zoom used is the maximum level used beyond which any approximation effect will provide an inaccurate location. This feature is interesting because the user viewing the location does not need to select a zoom level producing a closer approximation effect than that offered to him on the screen. Indeed, the user knows, when viewing the map, that the card in question is associated with a zoom level judiciously chosen.

The invention also relates to a first data processing device comprising means capable of obtaining at least one information relating to the location of an object, said location being derived from at least one locating means, characterized in that comprises transmission means able to transmit at least one information relating to the location of the object and at least one information associated with said at least one location means. The location information may be the location or any other information, such as coordinates, for locating a point relative to a map. In addition, the information associated with the at least one location means may be the type of the location means, or the zoom level to be used for the display, or any other information for selecting a zoom level that will provide a location. precise.

The invention also relates to a second data processing device comprising means capable of obtaining at least one information relating to the location of an object, said location being derived from at least one locating means, characterized in that includes display means adapted to display the location on a map with a zoom level function of said at least one location means. So we understand that the level of zoom chosen to display the position is therefore dependent on said at least one locating means used to obtain the location of the object.

In a variant, the second device comprises inhibition means capable of inhibiting the selection of at least one zoom level. In a variant, the inhibiting means are capable of inhibiting, when the zoom level used for the display is the maximum level beyond which a location is judged to be inaccurate, said at least one zoom level having the effect of bringing together ratio to the zoom level used.

The invention also relates to equipment characterized in that it comprises the first device defined above and the second device as defined above. This equipment not only covers a first device and a second device connected by a telecommunication network but also a first device and a second device connected by a local area network such as a computer bus.

Finally, the invention also relates to the computer program adapted to be implemented on the second data processing device, the program comprising code instructions which when it is executed by the device performs a display step a map with a zoom level which is a function of the location means used.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The figures:

FIG. 1 represents a computer system on which is illustrated an exemplary embodiment illustrating a method of visualizing a location on a map.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 represent two illustrations of the invention by means of map views displayed on a screen, each view being a function of a location means. FIG. 5 represents an exchange of messages illustrating the various steps of an exemplary embodiment of the method of the invention.

Detailed description of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the invention

FIG. 1 represents a SYS system comprising a first data processing device, such as an SRV server, including an APP application capable of providing a visualization of a location of a MOB object on a geography map. In our example, this object is mobile.

Note that an application is a program written for a specific use. In our example, the APP application is a program written for use dedicated to localization.

In our example, the visualization is performed by means of an ECR screen of a second data processing device such as a computer ORD. However, the invention is not limited to this example but can be extended to any means capable of providing a location with respect to a geographical area.

In our example, the SRV server includes receiving means

RCP able to receive MOB object location information received, in our example, from a location means selected from an ENS set of location means MLOCl, MLOC2. The application also comprises EMT transmission means capable of transmitting, to the ORD computer, location information capable of allowing a visualization of the location of the mobile object MOB on a geographical map displayed on the screen ECR of the ORD computer.

The ORD computer is any, it can be fixed or mobile. This computer may be a personal computer, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) personal assisatnt. It has a microcontroller capable of processing information.

The MOB object communicates with at least one means for locating the set ENS via a first any telecommunication network RESl. The ORD computer communicates with the server through via a second network whatever RES2 such as the Internet network. Similarly, the server is able to communicate with at least one locating means of the set ENS through a third telecommunication network RES3 which in our example is the same as the second network.

Note that, in our example, the first device is separated from the second device by a telecommunications network; however these two devices could be integrated into the same equipment and could be connected by a link able to allow data exchange between these two devices.

Moreover, regardless of the type of link separating the server and the computer, the APP application could have been stored in the computer ORD.

In our example, the map is associated with several zoom levels. To simplify the description of the invention, we will limit the number of levels to three, namely a first zoom level Z1 for displaying a location with respect to a region, a second level Z2 for displaying a location with respect to a city. including streets, and a third zoom level Z3 to view the location relative to a reduced number of streets compared to the second level. Naturally the choice of the number of levels is indifferent.

In our example, the first location means MLOCl is the GPS location means. This means is known to provide an accuracy of about 15 meters. This locating means makes it possible to display the location of the object with a zoom level corresponding to the third zoom level Z3 defined above.

In our example, the second location means MLOC2 is the location means based on the identification of the cells of a GSM network. This type of location means is less precise than the GPS location means and its accuracy depends on the area in which the object to be located is located. For example, if the area in question is a rural area, it is known that this means location based on the identification has an accuracy of about 30 km whereas if the area is an urban area the accuracy is of the order of 300m. Thus, the accuracy of this locating means is variable. This locating means makes it possible to display the location of the object with a zoom level corresponding to the second level or even the first level in a rural area. It will be assumed in the following that the MOB object is in an urban area and that this second location means allows a visualization of the location of the object with a zoom level corresponding to the second zoom level Z2 defined above. .

The invention proposes to take into account the location means having provided the location of the object and to display a map with a suitable zoom level.

The remainder of the description is made with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are views of a screen on which respective cards are displayed. Note that for the names of regions, cities, and streets are not mentioned on these maps because of no interest for the disclosure of the invention. It will be understood by observing FIGS. 2 and 3 that the map appearing in FIG. 2 offers a closer effect with respect to the map appearing in FIG. 3, and conversely the map appearing in FIG. 3 offers a distance effect with respect to to the map shown in Figure 2.

FIG. 2 is a first exemplary embodiment relating to the use of the first locating means MLOC1 and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a second exemplary embodiment relating to the use of the second locating means MLOC2. In these three figures are represented the ECR screen comprising a display area of a map, an area including zoom levels Zl, Z2 and Z3. In our example, each level can be selected individually. The selection of a level can be done using a PNT mouse. Once the selection is made, a close-up effect or distance effect occurs depending on the selected level. In FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the zoom levels are associated with a unidirectional axis associated with two symbols "-" and "+" located at the ends of the axis, the symbol "-" indicating an effect of distance and the symbol "+" indicating a closer effect compared to the current zoom level. Specifically, if the zoom level associated with a card is the second level Z2, the selection of the zoom level Z1 will produce a remoteness effect and the selection of the third zoom level Z3 will produce a close-up effect.

The first embodiment comprises several steps ETTl 1 to

ET15. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of messages that can be exchanged between the computer ORD, the application APP and the set ENS for the implementation of the invention.

During a first step EETIl, the MOB object moves in a city VL

In a second step ET12, the user of the computer requires the use of the APP application in order to obtain at least one location of the mobile object on the ECR screen by means of a geographic map. .

In a third step ET13, the application requires a location of the object aurpès a location means. The choice of the location means can come from the APP application or from a device other than the server. In our example, the application is aware of a set of locating means available for locating the MOB object and selects the first location means MLOCl

In a fourth step ET14, the application receives the location of the object. At this stage, the APP application is aware of the location of the object and the type of location means used to obtain the location, namely in our example the first location means MLOCl.

The two preceding steps ET13 and ET14 are independent of the number of locating means. Only one available locating means is sufficient for the third and fourth steps to be executed.

In a fifth step ET15, the APP application transmits the map with a zoom level corresponding to the accuracy of the location means used. In FIG. 2, the three zoom levels Z1-Z3 are represented and one Unidirectional arrow FLC points to the zoom level that the application has selected, namely the third level Z3. The geographical map thus includes streets R and the location Pl of the object MOB.

Of course, a variant could have been for the application to transmit location information such as coordinates.

Also, instead of transmitting a map with a zoom level, the application could have transmitted only information relating to the location means, for example an identifier, a type of location means used, the computer ORD deducing the level of zoom to use and displaying a map corresponding to this zoom level.

Note that the selection of the zoom level can be performed at the base of a table defining for each type of location means or identifier, the maximum zoom level to use.

Following reception of the geographical map, the user can use the other zoom levels Z1 and Z2 as desired to obtain an effect of distance from the map obtained with the third level.

A second example is described with reference to FIG. 3. This second example comprises several steps ET21, ET22, ET23, ET24, EET25. The first steps ET21 to ET24 are the same as the steps EETI1 to ET14 relating to the first example, with the difference that the second location means is substituted for the first location means MLOCl.

The next step ET25 differs from the step EET15 described with reference to FIG. 2. Indeed, in the fifth step ET25, the application transmits the geographical map with a zoom level corresponding to the precision of the location means used, namely the second level Z2. In Figure 3, the three zoom levels Z1-Z3 are shown and a unidirectional arrow FLC points to the zoom level that the application has selected, namely the second level Z2. The geographical map thus comprises the view of a city VL and the location P2 of the MOB object in this city. According to a first variant following the reception of the card, the user can use the other levels of zoom especially the levels offering a distance, namely the first level of zoom Zl, because in our example, the selected level Z2 is considered to be the maximum level beyond which a reconciliation effect provides an inaccurate location.

When the selected level is not the maximum level beyond which a reconciliation effect provides an inaccurate location, the user can achieve a reconciliation or remoteness effect. However, any selection of a zoom level offering a reconciliation effect associated with an inaccurate location is followed by an action suitable for example to alert the user that the location that will result will be imprecise. One way around the alert message is to inhibit the selection of zoom levels with inaccurate location.

According to a second variant, the three levels Z1-Z3 are associated with a respective zone of the screen that the user can select for example by means of a mouse. According to this second variant, the zoom levels having the effect of a close are inhibited at the selection. In the present case, the level Z3 offers a reconciliation effect with respect to the level Z2; the zone is inhibited in that the user can not select the Z3 level related approximation effect. Indeed, the application considers that the level 12. is the maximum level beyond which any effect of approximation will offer an inaccurate location due to a lack of precision of the means of localization used. In FIG. 3, the inhibition of the selection of zone Z3 is represented by a black background.

According to a third variant, instead of inhibiting the selection of a level, when the mouse points to an area of the screen that corresponds to a zoom for which the location is unreliable, an MS1 message appears in a window from the screen indicating to the user that the selection of the zoom in question will not offer a precise location. This second variant is illustrated with reference to FIG. 4, on which is represented a mouse pointer PNT pointing to the zoom level Z3. In this figure, an MSl message indicates to the user that the zoom level Z3 does not offer a precise location. This message could also propose to the user the use of another means of more accurate location able to allow viewing of a map with the zoom level inhibited. This proposal may be accompanied by a commitment from the user of the computer to provide compensation. The message can be visual or sound.

The second and third variants can be used in combination. Thus, a black background appears for an inhibited zone and an MS1 message indicates that this level will not offer a precise location or that the user may require the use of another more precise location means.

According to a fourth variant of the method of the invention, the display indicates that the current zoom level used for the display of the map is the level providing the maximum approximation for which the precision of the location is considered accurate. This prevents the user from selecting zoom levels that do not provide accurate location. In our example, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a message MS2 in relation to the unidirectional arrow FLC indicates that this zoom level is optimal, any closer approximation effect than that offered by this optimal zoom level not offering a precise location of the object.

Note that the selection can be made at the base of a table defining for each locating means the maximum zoom level to be used, in that a zoom level providing a closer approximation effect than the zoom level selected will not provide a reliable location.

Note that the invention applies to systems having only one location means. Thanks to the invention, the accuracy of this location means is taken into account for the choice of the zoom level to be used on the map. In this configuration, the zoom level is the same for each display of a location obtained by means of the location means. Here, contrary to the state of the art, the zoom level is not defined initially by default. Indeed, the invention takes into account the accuracy of this localsiation means before selecting the appropriate zoom level.

Claims

claims

1. Method for displaying a location (P1, P2) of an object (MOB) on a map associated with zoom levels (Z1, Z2, Z3), a location originating from at least one location means (MLOCl, M L0C2), characterized in that the zoom level used (Z1, Z2, Z3) to display the map is a function of said at least one locating means (MLOC1, MLOC2).

2. Viewing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the visualization of the location (P1, P2) on the map is associated with zoom levels (Z1, Z2, Z3) to be selected, in that at least a zoom level is inhibited at the selection, and in that said at least one inhibited zoom level is that providing an inaccurate location.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the zoom level used for the display of the map is the maximum level beyond which a reconciliation effect provides an inaccurate location.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that a message (MS2) indicates that the zoom level used is the maximum level used beyond which any approximation effect will provide an inaccurate location.

5. Data processing device (SRV) comprising means capable of obtaining at least one information relating to the location of an object

(MOB), said location being derived from at least one locating means (MLOCl, M L0C2), characterized in that it comprises transmission means capable of transmitting at least one information relating to the location of the object and at least one information associated with said at least one location means.

6. Data processing device (ORD) comprising means capable of obtaining at least one information relating to the location of an object (MOB), said location originating from at least one locating means (MLOCl, M L0C2) characterized in that it comprises display means capable of displaying the location on a map with a zoom level function of said at least one locating means.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises inhibiting means adapted to inhibit the selection of at least one zoom level.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the inhibiting means are capable of inhibiting, when the zoom level used for the display is the maximum level beyond which a location is considered imprecise, said at least one level. zooming effect that is closer to the zoom level used.

9. Equipment characterized in that it comprises a first device as defined in claim 5 and a second device as defined in one of claims 6 to 8.

10. Computer program adapted to be implemented on a data processing device, the program comprising code instructions which when executed by the device performs a step of displaying a card with a level of zoom which is a function of the location means used.