Patent ID: 8103445

Claim:
A system for dynamically rendering a map as a function of a user parameter, comprising: one or more processors executing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, provide components comprising: a map retrieval component that is configured to receive a request for a web-based map from a first user, and to obtain a specific map geographic area responsive to the request for the web-based map; a map annotation component that dynamically captures one or more visual annotations made to a web-based map presented to a second user, each user visual annotation being associated with a specific map geographic area; a user authorization component configured to authorize sharing visual annotations captured from the second user with one or more other users; an annotation sharing component configured to share visual annotations from the second user with one or more other users based on associated authorizations; a map annotation stitching component that associates a captured visual annotation with a specific map geographic area; an annotation selection component that selects one or more annotations for display from shared visual annotations based on information relating to a current position of a second user identified in a contact database of the first user, and that tailors the requested web-based map based on the selected annotations; and a rendering component that displays the tailored web-based map to the first user.