Interactive electronically presented map

Abstract

The present invention provides computerized systems and methods for providing electronically presented interactive area representation, such as a map, and information associated therewith. A user can select text, imagery, or other information presented on the map and associated with one or more items or locations, causing presentation of information relating to the associated one or more items or locations, such as appropriate contact information or a hyperlink to an appropriate Web site. Additionally or alternatively, a user can input or select, based on a query or otherwise, information relating to one or more items or locations associated with text, imagery, or other information presented on the map, causing presentation of an indication of one or more locations of the associated text, imagery, or other information on the map. A magnifier feature allowing internal navigation within the map can be provided. Additionally, animated images can appear to move over the map.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer readable medium or media including computer code that causes a computer to provide on a display device a display comprising: 
 an area representation of a geographic area and item information thereon relating to one or more items associated with the geographic area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the display;    the computer code, in response to user input to the computer that selects item information on the display, causing the computer to provide another display which includes additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected.    
     
     
         2 . A computer readable medium or media including computer code that causes a computer to provide on a display device a display comprising: 
 an area representation of an area and at least one of: 
 item information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation, and  
 additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area;  
   the computer code: 
 with respect to a display including item information, in response to user input to the computer that selects an item information, causing the computer to provide another display including additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected; and  
 with respect to a display including additional information relating to one or more items, in response to user input to the computer that selects such additional information, causing the computer to provide another display including the area representation and item information of an item associated with the area relating to the selected additional information and an indication referencing the location on the area representation of the item to which the selected information is related.  
   
     
     
         3 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the computer code causes the computer to provide displays in which the item information includes graphical information.  
     
     
         4 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the computer code causes the computer to provide displays in which the additional information includes text information.  
     
     
         5 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the computer code causes the computer to provided displays in which the item information includes a link to other information.  
     
     
         6 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the computer code causes the computer to provide displays in which at least one of the item information and the additional information includes audio information.  
     
     
         7 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the area representation represents a site and the item information relates to locations within the site.  
     
     
         8 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the area representation represents a virtual area.  
     
     
         9 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 2 , wherein the area representation represents a printed page.  
     
     
         10 . A computer readable medium or media including computer code that causes a computer to provide on a display device 
 a display that at one time comprises: 
 an area representation of an area; and  
 item information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation; and  
   a display that at another time comprises: 
 the area representation; and  
 additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area;  
   the computer code: 
 with respect to a display including item information, in response to user input to the computer that selects an item information, causing the computer to provide another display including additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected; and  
 with respect to a display including additional information relating to one or more items, in response to user input to the computer that selects such additional information, causing the computer to provide another display including the area representation and item information of an item associated with the area relating to the selected additional information and an indication referencing the location on the area representation of the item to which the selected information is related.  
   
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , including one or more databases in which different item information is associated with respective different locations of the area representation, and different additional information is associated with each different location.  
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the code includes code representing a geographic area in the form of a map.  
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium or media of clam  10 , wherein the code includes code representing a geographic area in the form of at least one of a topographical map and a diagrammatic map.  
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the code includes code representing a non-geographic area.  
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the code includes code representing a bird's eye view of a geographic area.  
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the code includes code representing a celestial area.  
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the code includes code representing a third dimension related to the area,  
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 10 , wherein the computer code includes code causing each location of item information to be responsive to selection by an input device.  
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 18 , wherein the computer code includes code causing the computer to control positioning on a display of a position indicator in response to input by the input device and to select the location on a display indicated by the position indicator in response to input by the input device.  
     
     
         20 . A computer system for providing a user-interactive electronic area representation, comprising: 
 a computer;    a display device;    a computer input device for providing user input to the computer;    the computer being programmed to provide on the display device a display comprising: 
 an area representation of a geographic area and item information thereon relating to one or more items associated with the geographic area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the display; and  
 in response to user input to the computer by the input device to select item information on the display, another display which includes additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected.  
   
     
     
         21 . A computer system for providing a user-interactive electronic area representation, comprising: 
 a computer;    a display device;    a computer input device for providing user input to the computer;    the computer being programmed to provide on the display device: 
 a display comprising an area representation of an area and at least one of item information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation, and additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area;  
 with respect to a display including item information, in response to user input to the computer that selects an item information, another display including additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected; and  
 with respect to a display including additional information relating to one or more items, in response to user input to the computer that selects such additional information, another display including the area representation and item information of an item associated with the area relating to the selected additional information and an indication referencing the location on the area representation of the item to which the selected information is related.  
   
     
     
         22 . A computer system for providing a user-interactive electronic area representation, comprising: 
 a computer;    a display device;    a computer input device for providing user input to the computer;    the computer being programmed to provide on the display device: 
 a display comprising an area representation of an area, and item information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation;  
 a display comprising the area representation and additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area;  
 with respect to a display including item information, in response to user input to the computer that selects an item information, another display including additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected; and  
 with respect to a display including additional information relating to one or more items, in response to user input to the computer that selects such additional information, another display including the area representation and item information of an item associated with the area relating to the selected additional information and an indication referencing the location on the area representation of the item to which the selected information is related.  
   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to provide displays in which the item information includes graphical information.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to provide displays in which the additional information includes text information.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to provided displays in which the item information includes a link to other information.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to provide displays in which at least one of the item information and the additional information includes audio information.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , comprising a kiosk in which the computer is disposed.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the additional information comprises at least one of audio and video.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22 , including one or more databases in which different item information is associated with respective different locations of the area representation, and different additional information is associated with each different location.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the area represents a geographic area in the form of a map.  
     
     
         31 . The system of clam  22 , wherein the area represents a geographic area in the form of at least one of a topographical map and a diagrammatic map.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the area represents a non-geographic area.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the area represents an actual area.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the area represents a bird's eye view of a geographic area.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the area represents a celestial area.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to provide a third dimension to the area representation that is related to the area.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is programmed to so that each location on a display of an item information is responsive to selection by the input device.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the computer is programmed to control positioning on a display of a position indicator in response to input by the input device and to select the location on a display indicated by the position indicator in response to input by the input device.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is coupled in a computer network, the computer including at least one computer readable medium that provides at least some of the programming for the computer.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the network is a client-server network and the computer is a client computer, the network including at least one server computer including at least one computer readable medium that provides at least some of the programming for the computer.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the client computer is connected in the network by a communications network.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the communications network is the Internet.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is coupled in an interactive television system and the display device is part of a television.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the computer is a stand-alone device that includes a computer readable medium or media that provides all of the programming for the computer.  
     
     
         45 . A system for providing an interactive electronic area representation of an area, comprising: 
 means for providing a display of the area representation and at least one of item information relating to one or more items associated with the area and additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation;    with respect to a display including item information, means for providing another display including additional information relating to the item whose item information was selected in response to user input that selects an item information; and    with respect to a display including additional information relating to one or more items, means for providing, in response to user input that selects an item information, another display including the area representation and item information of an item associated with the area relating to the selected additional information and an indication referencing the location on the area representation of the item to which the selected information is related.    
     
     
         46 . A system for providing an interactive electronic area representation of an area, comprising: 
 means for providing an electronic display of the area representation;    means for highlighting a minor portion of the electronic display of the area representation; and    means for providing in the electronic display a magnified representation of the highlighted portion outside the area representation.    
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , comprising means for positioning the highlighted portion on the electronic display of the area representation.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the means for positioning can continuously move the highlighted portion on the electronic display of the area representation.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 46 , comprising means for moving an image with respect to the area representation including through the highlighted portion and through the magnified representation of the highlighted portion, the image being represented magnified in the magnified portion as compared to the image moved with respect to the area representation.  
     
     
         50 . A method for providing an animated electronic area representation of an area, comprising: 
 providing an electronic display of the area representation;    highlighting a minor portion of the electronic display of the area representation;    providing in the electronic display a magnified representation of the highlighted portion outside the area representation;    moving an image with respect to the area representation including through the highlighted portion and through the magnified representation of the highlighted portion, the image being represented magnified in the magnified portion as compared to the image moved with respect to the area representation.    
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , comprising movably repositioning the highlighted portion on the electronic display of the area representation.  
     
     
         52 . A computer readable medium or media including computer code that causes a computer to provide on a display device a display comprising: 
 an area representation of an area;    item information relating to one or more items associated with the area, the item information for different items being at different locations on the area representation, and    additional information relating to one or more items associated with the area;    the computer code causing a computer to position a position indicator on the area representation on the display device and provide, outside the area representation on the display device, a magnified representation of an area of the area representation indicated by the position indicator;    in response to user input to the computer that selects item information, the computer code causing the computer to reposition the position indicator on the area representation indicating the item information relating to the selected additional information and provide a magnified representation of the area of the area representation indicated by the repositioned position indicator outside the area representation.    
     
     
         53 . The computer readable medium or media of  claim 52 , wherein the computer code causes the position indicator to indicate an area by highlighting that area.  
     
     
         54 . A method for providing information in connection with an electronic representation of a map, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of a map of a geographic area including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the map;    in response to user selection of a location on the electronic representation having item information, presenting, outside of and simultaneously with the electronic representation of the map additional information related to the item information.    
     
     
         55 . A method for providing information in connection with an electronic representation of an area, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of the area including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the area;    presenting additional information simultaneously with presentation of the electronic representation of the area, the additional information relating to at least one location on the area representation;    in response to user selection of additional information relating to a location on the area representation, indicating on the electronic representation of the area item information at the location related to the selected additional information.    
     
     
         56 . A method for providing information in connection with an electronic representation of an area, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of the area including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the area;    in response to user selection of a location on the electronic representation having item information, presenting, outside of and simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, additional information related to the item information;    in response to user selection of additional information, relating to at least one location on the area representation, presented simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, indicating on the electronic representation of the area the item information at the location related to the selected additional information.    
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , comprising providing a position indicator on the representation of the area to indicate the item information at the location related to the selected additional information.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56 , comprising highlighting a portion of the representation of the area to indicate the item information at the location related to the selected additional information.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , comprising presenting a magnified representation of the highlighted portion, including the item information at the location related to the selected additional information simultaneously with the presentation of the area representation.  
     
     
         60 . A method of advertising in connection with an electronic representation of a map, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of a map including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the map relating to a product or service to be advertised;    in response to user selection of a location on the electronic representation having item information, presenting, outside of and simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, additional information relating to the product or service;    arranging for a financial benefit for presenting at least one of the item information and the additional information.    
     
     
         61 . A method of advertising in connection with an electronic representation of a map, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of the map including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the map relating to a product or service to be advertised;    in response to user selection of a location on the electronic representation having item information, presenting, outside of and simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, additional information related to the product or service;    in response to user selection of additional information, relating to at least one location on the area representation, presented simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, indicating on the electronic representation of the area the item information at the location related to the selected additional information; and    arranging for a financial benefit for presenting at least one of the item information and the additional information.    
     
     
         62 . The method of claim  61 , wherein the additional information comprises contact information relating to the product or service.  
     
     
         63 . A method of advertising in connection an electronic area representation of a map, comprising: 
 providing an electronic display of the map;    moving an image in the electronic display of the map over the map;    providing advertising to move with the image;    arranging for a financial benefit for providing the advertising; and    in response to user selection of additional information, relating to at least one location on the area representation that is presented simultaneously with the electronic representation of the area, indicating on the electronic representation of the area the item information at the location related to the selected additional information.    
     
     
         64 . A method of providing advertising in connection with an electronic map, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic map depicting a plurality of actual locations, each of the plurality of actual locations comprising at least one depicted actual item; and    presenting, in association with a first depicted actual location of the plurality of actual locations, at least one advertisement relating to a first depicted actual item of the first depicted actual location, wherein a provider of the electronic map receives benefit in return for including the first advertisement on the electronic map.    
     
     
         65 . A method for providing information in connection with an electronic representation of an area, comprising: 
 presenting an electronic representation of the area including item information at a plurality of locations on the electronic representation of the area;    in response to a query by a user requesting information related to item information on the electronic representation, presenting additional information requested in the query simultaneously with presentation of the electronic representation of the area with an indication on the electronic representation of the area the item information at the location related to the selected additional information.