ENHANCED USE OF MAP AND MAP METADATA

Abstract

An electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map is provided for a user. A pointer to additional data related to the metadata may also be provided based on the reception of a selection of additional information according to a user made selection profile. In this way, additional data can be presented together with the metadata on the map and the density associated with information on the map may be increased.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in more detail in relation to the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an electronic end user communication device communicating with a map providing server via a network,

FIG. 2A illustrates the displaying of a map having metadata associated with a position on the map,

FIG. 2B illustrates a map where additional data related to the same metadata is displayed,

FIG. 3 schematically shows data transmitted from the map providing server to the electronic end user communication device according to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 4 schematically shows data transmitted between the map providing server and the electronic end user communication device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 5 shows a CD ROM disc on which program code for executing a method consistent with the invention may be provided.

Claims

1. A method of providing additional data in relation to a map and map metadata comprising: providing, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,receiving a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andproviding at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing at least a pointer to additional data comprises providing a pointer for allowing the additional data to be fetched from a source related to the metadata.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: fetching said additional data from a source related to the metadata, andproviding at least a pointer comprises providing the additional data for presenting with the metadata on the map.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional data is dynamic data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the additional data provides status information regarding the metadata.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selection profile is settable, the method further comprising providing said settable selection profile regarding additional data to be set by said user and receiving a user profile set by said user.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising filtering a set of additional data according to the selection profile in order to provide additional data to be presented.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the filtering includes filtering the metadata.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein metadata is presented as icons and additional information is presented through changing the appearance of an icon.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the map metadata represents an object having a certain position on the map.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the map metadata represents different portable communication devices, the additional data represents the status of a first portable communication device, the method further comprising: setting up a communication session between the user and the first portable communication device in dependence of a selection by the user and in dependence of the status of the first portable communication device.

12. A computer program product for providing additional data in relation to a map and map metadata comprising first computer program code for execution by a map providing device, when said first computer program code is loaded in the map providing device, to cause the map providing device to: provide, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,provide second computer code for handling reception of a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andprovide at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

13. A computer program product for providing additional data in relation to a map and map metadata comprising computer program code executable by a map providing device, when said program code is loaded in the map providing device, to cause the map providing device to: provide, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,receive a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andprovide at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

14. A map providing device being arranged to: provide, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,receive a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andprovide at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

15. The map providing device according to claim 14, which when providing at least a pointer to additional data is arranged to provide a pointer for allowing the additional data to be fetched from a source related to the metadata.

16. The map providing device according to claim 14, being further arranged to fetch said additional data from a source related to the metadata and, when providing at least a pointer, is arranged to provide the additional data for presenting with the metadata on the map.

17. The map providing device according to claim 14, wherein the additional data is dynamic data.

18. The map providing device according to claim 14, wherein the additional data provides status information regarding the metadata.

19. The map providing device according to claim 14, where said selection profile is settable and the map providing device is being further arranged to provide said settable selection profile regarding additional data to be set by said user and receive a selection profile set by said user.

20. The map providing device according to claim 19, being further arranged to filter a set of additional data according to the selection profile in order to provide additional data to be presented.

21. The map providing device according to claim 20, wherein the filtering includes filtering the metadata.

22. The map providing device according to claim 14, wherein metadata is presented as icons and additional information is presented through changing the appearance of at least one icon.

23. The map providing device according to claim 14, wherein the map metadata represents an object having a certain position on the map.

24. The map providing device according to claim 23, wherein the map metadata represents different portable communication devices, the additional data represents the status of a first portable communication device and being further arranged to set up a communication session between the user and the first portable communication device in dependence of a selection by the user and in dependence of the status of the first portable communication device.

25. The map providing device according to claim 14, where a map providing server is configured to send the electronic map and the map metadata to an electronic end user device and receive selections of additional information.

26. The map providing device according to claim 14, where an electronic end user device is configured to receive selections of additional information from a user and present the map with metadata and additional data for the user.

27. The map providing device according to claim 26, wherein the electronic end user device is configured to receive the map and metadata from a map providing server.

28. The map providing device according to claim 27, being further arranged to receive at least said pointer to the additional data from the map providing server.

29. The map providing device according to claim 26, wherein the map providing device comprises a portable communication device.

30. The map providing device according to claim 29, wherein the map providing device comprises a cellular phone.

31. A map providing device comprising: means for providing, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,means for receiving a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with said position according to a user made selection profile, andmeans for providing at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

32. A map providing server being arranged to: provide, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,provide computer program code for handling reception of a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andprovide at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.

33. A map providing server comprising: means for providing, for a user, an electronic map together with metadata relating to at least one position on the map,means for providing computer program code for handling reception of a selection of additional information relating to the metadata associated with the position according to a user made selection profile, andmeans for providing at least a pointer to additional data related to the metadata associated with the position for presenting said additional data together with the metadata on the map.