# US 8,543,333 B2 · Method, system, apparatus and computer-readable medium for browsing spot information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,333 B2 - Document ID: US8543333B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/039,314 - Filed: 2011-03-03 - Published: 2012-03-08 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-03 - Assignees: HTC Corporation - Applicants: Po-Yen Lee; Chien-Wen Chen; Pai-Chang Yeh; Li-Wen Lian - Inventors: Po-Yen Lee; Chien-Wen Chen; Pai-Chang Yeh; Li-Wen Lian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543333B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G01C 21/3682: {output of POI information on a road map (G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence)} - G01C 21/3874: {Structures specially adapted for data searching and retrieval} - G09B 29/007: {using computer methods} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A method, a system, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium for browsing spot information, adapted to an electronic device, are provided. In the present method, a plurality of spot information are retrieved, in which each of the spot information at least comprises a picture and a location of a spot. Next, an electronic map is displayed and a spot marker is marked at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map. Meanwhile, a spot browsing bar is displayed on a side of the electronic map and the spot pictures of the spot information are sequentially displayed in the spot browsing bar. When a select operation of a certain spot marker on the electronic map is received, the spot browsing bar is scrolled to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for browsing spot information, adapted to an electronic device, the method for browsing spot information comprising: the electronic device connecting to a social network website or spot sharing website; retrieving a plurality of spot information comprising at least a custom created spot information by a user of the electronic device and a spot information shared by the social network or the spot sharing website, wherein each of the spot information comprises a spot picture and a spot location of a spot; displaying an electronic map, and marking a spot marker at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map; displaying a spot browsing bar on a side of the electronic map, and sequentially displaying the spot pictures of the spot information in the spot browsing bar; and when a select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map is received, scrolling the spot browsing bar to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving the spot information comprises: connecting to the social network website; and retrieving spot information shared by a plurality of contacts of the user from the social network website. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the spot information comprises a spot name of the spot and a member picture of the member sharing the spot information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein when the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map is received, the method further comprises: extendedly displaying a spot note block from the selected spot marker, wherein the spot note block displays the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein after the step of extendedly displaying the spot note block from the selected spot marker, the method further comprises: displaying an add option for adding the spot information to be a favorite spot, and displaying a send option for sending the spot information to other members or contacts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein after the step of extendedly displaying the spot note block from the selected spot marker, the method further comprises: displaying a spot information editing block for editing the spot information when a select operation of the add option in the spot note block is received; and adding the edited spot information to be a favorite spot when a select operation of an OK option in the spot information editing block is received. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of scrolling the spot browsing bar to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker comprises: scrolling the spot browsing bar to scroll the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker to a display area of the spot browsing bar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein after the step of displaying the electronic map and the spot browsing bar, the method further comprises: when a select operation of one of the spot pictures in the spot browsing bar is received, shifting a display area of the electronic map to locate the spot marker corresponding to the selected spot picture at a center of the electronic map. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein after the step of displaying the electronic map and the spot browsing bar, the method further comprises: receiving a select operation of an add option; controlling a mobile device connected to the electronic device to execute a positioning function to obtain a current location of the mobile device; and displaying a spot information editing block, and marking the current location of the mobile device on the electronic map in the spot information editing block by a device marker. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for browsing spot information, comprising: a display module; a spot information retrieving module, configured to connect to a social network website or spot sharing website and to retrieve a plurality of spot information comprising at least a custom created spot information by a user of the electronic device and a spot information shared by the social network or the spot sharing website, wherein each of the spot information comprises a spot picture and a spot location of a spot; an electronic map module, configured to display an electronic map on the display module, and mark a spot marker at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map; a spot browsing bar module, configured to display a spot browsing bar on a side of the electronic map, and sequentially displaying the spot pictures of the spot information in the spot browsing bar; and an input module, configured to receive a select operation, wherein when the input module receives the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map displayed by the electronic map module, the spot browsing bar module scrolls the spot browsing bar to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the spot information retrieving module is connected to the social network website to retrieve spot information shared by a plurality of contacts of the user from the social network website. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the spot information comprises a spot name of the spot and a member picture of the member sharing the spot information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a spot note module, wherein when the input module receives the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map, the spot note module extendedly displays a spot note block from the selected spot marker, and the spot note block displays the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the spot note module further displays an add option in the spot note block for adding the spot information to be a favorite spot, and displays a send option in the spot note block for sending the spot information to other members or contacts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a spot information editing module, configured to display a spot information editing block for editing the spot information when the input module receives the select operation of the add option in the spot note block, and add the edited spot information to be a favorite spot when the input module receives the select operation of an OK option in the spot information editing block. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when the input module receives the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map displayed by the electronic map module, the spot browsing bar module scrolls the spot browsing bar to scroll the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker to a display area of the spot browsing bar. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: a connection unit, configured to connect a mobile device; and a control module, configured to control the mobile device to execute a positioning function to obtain a current location of the mobile device when the input module receives the select operation of a locate option, wherein the electronic map module further marks the current location of the mobile device on the electronic map by a device marker, and shifts a display area of the electronic map to locate the device marker at a center of the electronic map. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: a connection unit, configured to connect a mobile device; a control module, configured to control the mobile device to execute a positioning function to obtain a current location of the mobile device when the input module receives the select operation of a locate option; and a spot information editing module, configured to display a spot information editing block, and mark the current location of the mobile device on the electronic map in the spot information editing block by a device marker. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable medium, recording program instructions executed by an electronic device to perform: connecting to a social network website or spot sharing website by the electronic device; retrieving a plurality of spot information comprising at least a custom created spot information by a user of the electronic device and a spot information shared by the social network or the spot sharing website, wherein each of the spot information comprises a spot picture and a spot location of a spot; displaying an electronic map, and marking a spot marker at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map; displaying a spot browsing bar on a side of the electronic map, and sequentially displaying the spot pictures of the spot information in the spot browsing bar; and when a select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map is received, scrolling the spot browsing bar to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. ### Claim 20 A system for browsing spot information, comprising: a spot information retrieving tool, for connecting to a social network website or spot sharing website and retrieving a plurality of spot information comprising at least a custom created spot information by a user of the electronic device and a spot information shared by the social network or the spot sharing website, wherein each of the spot information comprises a spot picture and a spot location of a spot; an electronic map tool, for displaying an electronic map, and marking a spot marker at the spot location of each spot information on the electronic map; a spot browsing bar tool, for displaying a spot browsing bar on a side of the electronic map, and sequentially displaying the spot pictures of the spot information in the spot browsing bar; and an input tool, for receiving a select operation, wherein when the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map displayed by the electronic map tool is received, the spot browsing bar tool scrolls the spot browsing bar to show the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker. an input tool, for receiving a select operation from a user, wherein when the select operation of one of the spot markers on the electronic map displayed by the electronic map tool is received from a user, the spot browsing bar tool rolls the spot browsing bar to mark the spot picture corresponding to the selected spot marker.