Patent ID: 8261206

Claim:
A computer hardware logic for displaying a computer-generated geographic map on a video display, the computer hardware logic comprising: a receiving logic for detecting an input signal for initiating a map zoning mode for an initial computer-generated geographic map, wherein the map zoning mode prevents zooming of all of the initial computer-generated geographic map; a zooming logic for zooming multiple user-selected areas on the initial computer-generated geographic map, wherein said zooming generates a unique zoom window for each of the multiple user-selected areas, wherein each said unique zoom window displays and overlays an enlarged view of a corresponding user-selected area, from the multiple user-selected areas, over the initial computer-generated geographic map, wherein the multiple user-selected areas are each a different singular point on the initial computer-generated geographic map; a persistence logic for persistently and simultaneously displaying all of the multiple zoom windows over the initial computer-generated geographic map; a cursor movement detection logic, wherein the cursor movement detection logic detects a distance between a user dragging a clicked mouse cursor from a user-selected singular point on the initial computer-generated geographic map to a final resting position of the mouse cursor, wherein the dragged distance automatically determines a size and zoom level of a zoom window; a zoom window repositioning logic, wherein the zoom window repositioning logic detects a pre-defined type of information displayed on the initial computer generated geographic map; and automatically repositions the zoom window such that the zoom window does not overlay and obscure the pre-defined type of information displayed on the initial computer-generated geographic man; a zoom window visual encoding logic, wherein the zoom window visual encoding logic alters a physical appearance or a shape of a border of the zoom window in accordance with a unique condition of roads depicted within the zoom window; and a selective zooming logic for selectively zooming each of the multiple zoom windows to different zoom levels.