Patent ID: 9697751
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G01C,G06F,G09B,H04N

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method comprising: determining a screen size occupied by individual visual entities when the individual visual entities are presented on a map, the individual visual entities having different locations on the map; based at least on the screen size occupied by the individual visual entities, determining a first distance represented by the individual visual entities when the map is shown at a first scale and a second distance represented by the individual visual entities when the map is shown at a second scale; based at least on the first distance represented by the individual visual entities when the map is shown at the first scale, defining a first cluster of first visual entities that includes overlapping first visual entities that overlap on the map when the map is shown at the first scale; causing the map to be displayed at the first scale with a first puddle, the first puddle having a first irregular shape that encompasses the first visual entities of the first cluster; receiving a user action requesting a zoom-in operation to be performed on the map from the first scale to the second scale; based at least on the second distance represented by the individual visual entities when the map is shown at the second scale, defining a second cluster of second visual entities and a third cluster of third visual entities, the second cluster including overlapping second visual entities that overlap when the map is shown at the second scale and the third cluster including overlapping third visual entities that overlap when the map is shown at the second scale; and causing the map to be displayed at the second scale with a second puddle that encompasses the second cluster of second visual entities and a third puddle that encompasses the third cluster of third visual entities, the second puddle and the third puddle replacing the first puddle.