System for associating map item images and text information

Abstract

A system and method for manipulating digital map information, that allows the operator to view or modify map object or item attributes from either a graphical window or a text window. In one embodiment, when the user selects a map item within the graphical window ( 202 ), the text window ( 210 ) displays a text record that includes attributes ( 242 ) associated with the currently selected item. Attributes may include, for example, a street name, or a relationship of the current item to another item. The system can display these relationships within the text window. In one embodiment, the attributes that include links to related map items or to related items of information are highlighted or are visibly identified ( 249 ) in some manner. The operator can then select a highlighted attribute to traverse to, and display the new map item. The graphical window display can be updated in parallel with the text window.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . A system for associating associate text and graphical views of map information, comprising:
 a display device;   a first window that displays an image of a map, wherein the map comprises a plurality of map items displayed therein;   an interface that allows a user to select at least one of the map items displayed within the map as a user-selected map item; and   a second window that displays a textual representation of the user-selected map item, a set of information that corresponds to the user-selected map item, and a visual indication of at least one relationship between the user-selected map item and at least one other map item.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the image of a map is displayed in a window, and wherein the textual representation of the set of information is displayed in a separate window. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the set of information that corresponds to the user-selected map item includes information not readily displayable on the image of the map. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the set of information that corresponds to the user-selected map item comprises clickable links to particular items of information within the set of information. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the system further comprises an editor utility that displays the clickable links and allows a user to modify the particular items of information associated with those links. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the editor utility further displays additional clickable links to the relationships between the user-selected map item and the at least one other map item. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a second image of the map wherein the second image of the map comprises a plurality of map items displayed therein, and allows the user to select at least one of the map items displayed within the map as a second user-selected map item; and   logic for determining one or more relationships between the second user-selected map item and other map items, retrieving a set of information that corresponds to the second user-selected map item, displaying a textual representation of the set of information that corresponds to the second user-selected map item and that further comprises a visual indication of at least one of the relationships between the second user-selected map item and the other map items, and allowing the user to repeat the process as desired for subsequent user-selected map items.   
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the second image of the map is displayed in a separate window from that used to originally display the image of the map. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system graphically highlights within the image of the map the at least one other map item to which the user-selected item is related. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system graphically highlights within the image of the map the user-selected map item. 
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system determines a relationship between a user-selected map item and at least one other map item by determining whether said user-selected map item and said at least one other map item are related to at least one other map item in common. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system determines one or more relationships between the user-selected map item and at least one other map item by establishing a relationship between the user-selected map item and the at least one other map item if each of the map items is determined to be of same item type. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising a search utility that allows the user to search for a desired map item, and if the user locates the desired map item using the search utility, then the further step of making the desired map item the user-selected item. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the system is incorporated into an in-vehicle or other navigation system. 
   
   
       32 . A system for associating associate text and graphical views of map information, comprising:
 (a) a display that displays an image of a map, wherein the map comprises a plurality of map items displayed therein, and an interface that allows a user to select at least one of the map items displayed within the map as a user-selected map item;   (b) logic for determining one or more relationships between the user-selected map item and at least one other map item;   (c) a set of information that corresponds to the user-selected map item;   (d) a windows that displays a textual representation of the set of information that corresponds to the user-selected map item, and that further comprises a visual indication of at least one of the relationships between the user-selected map item and the at least one other map item; and   (e) an interface that allows the user to select a subsequent user-selected map item from the map or the textual representation, wherein the system then
 displays a new image of the map, 
 retrieves a set of information that corresponds to the subsequent user-selected map item, 
 displays a textual representation of the set of information that corresponds to the subsequent user-selected map item, and 
 allows the user to repeat step (e) as desired for subsequent user-selected map items. 
   
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the system is incorporated into an in-vehicle or other navigation system.