# US 8,788,604 B2 · Methods and apparatus for providing map locations in user applications using URL strings

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- Number: US 8,788,604 B2
- Document ID: US8788604B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/451,100
- Filed: 2012-04-19
- Published: 2012-08-09
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-03-31
- Assignees: BlackBerry Limited
- Applicants: Jesse Joseph Boudreau; Ronald Anthony Dicke
- Inventors: Jesse Joseph Boudreau; Ronald Anthony Dicke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788604B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/29: Geographical information databases
- H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information
- G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence)
- G01C 21/26: specially adapted for navigation in a road network
- G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
- G06F 16/955: using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
- G06F 16/9558: {Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations}
- G06F 16/9566: {URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links}
- G09B 29/106: {using electronic means}
- H04L 61/30: Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames (name-to-address mapping H04L61/45)
- H04L 61/3025: {Domain name generation or assignment}
- H04L 61/4511: using domain name system [DNS]
- H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
- H04M 1/72406: by software upgrading or downloading
- Y10S 707/919: Geographic
- Y10S 707/92: Navigation
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- 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)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Techniques for use in a wireless communication device for displaying a map are described. The device receives via a user interface a selection of a hypertext link object in an electronic file or message. The object is associated with a URL string which includes a server address and location data corresponding to a location. When a mapping application is installed in the device, the device executes the mapping application for rendering a map of the location in response to receiving the selection of the object. When the mapping application is not installed in the device, the device executes a web browser of the device for receiving and displaying a map image of the location in response to receiving the selection of the object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method in a wireless communication device for use in displaying a map, the wireless communication device including a user interface comprising a display, the method comprising:
receiving a message that refers to a map location;
displaying the message comprising the message containing a hypertext link object within the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message;
receiving, via the user interface, a selection of the hypertext link object, the hypertext link object being associated with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) string which comprises a server address and location data corresponding to the map location; and
in response to receiving the selection of the hypertext link object,
when a trigger to invoke an associated mapping application provided on the device is identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, executing the associated mapping application and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data; and
when the trigger is not identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, executing a web browser application of the wireless communication device for receiving and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein executing the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map further comprises:
sending a request to a server identified by the server address;
receiving a map image in response to the request; and
displaying the map image.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein executing the associated mapping application for displaying the map further comprises:
identifying whether map data corresponding to the location data in the URL string is available in a memory of the device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
if the map data is not stored in the memory, sending a request to a map server.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
registering a URL hook associated with the mapping application if the mapping application is installed in the device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
searching the URL string for the trigger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
recognizing at least a portion of the URL string as the trigger when the trigger to invoke an associated mapping application is identified from the URL string.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein recognizing at least a portion of the URL string comprises recognizing a URL hook associated with the URL string.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein searching the URL string for the trigger is performed when the mapping application is installed in the device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hypertext link object is a representation of the URL string.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hypertext link object is selected from the group comprising an icon, graphics or text.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the location data comprises latitude and longitude coordinates corresponding to the location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein executing the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map further comprises receiving data to display a link to download and install the mapping application.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the map comprises a bitmap image.

### Claim 15

A computer program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium;
computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;
the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a wireless communication device for use in displaying a map, by:
receiving a message that refers to a map location;
displaying the message comprising the message containing a hypertext link object within the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message;
receiving, via a user interface, a selection of the hypertext link object, the hypertext link object being associated with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) string which comprises a server address and location data corresponding to the map location; and
in response to receiving the selection of the hypertext link object,
when a trigger to invoke an associated mapping application provided on the device is identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, executing the associated mapping application and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data; and
when the trigger is not identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, executing a web browser application of the wireless communication device for receiving and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code for executing the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map further comprises code for:
sending a request to a server identified by the server address;
receiving a map image in response to the request; and
displaying the map image.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code for executing the associated mapping application for displaying the map further comprises code for identifying whether map data corresponding to the location data in the URL string is available in a memory of the device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising code for recognizing at least a portion of the URL string as the trigger when the trigger to invoke an associated mapping application is identified from the URL string.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the hypertext link object is a representation of the URL string.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the hypertext link object is selected from the group comprising an icon, graphics or text.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the location data comprises latitude and longitude coordinates corresponding to the location.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code for executing the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map further comprises code for receiving data to display a link to download and install the mapping application.

### Claim 23

A wireless communication device, comprising:
one or more processors;
a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;
memory coupled to the one or more processors;
a user interface comprising a display;
the one or more processors being configured to:
receive a message that refers to a map location;
display the message comprising the message containing a hypertext link object within the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message wherein the hypertext link object is the only link to the map location in the message;
receive, via the user interface, a selection of the hypertext link object, the hypertext link object being associated with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) string which comprises a server address and location data corresponding to the map location; and
in response to receiving the selection of the hypertext link object,
when a trigger to invoke an associated mapping application is identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, execute the associated mapping application and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data; and
when the trigger is not identified from the URL string associated with the selected hypertext link object, execute a web browser application of the wireless communication device for receiving and displaying a map of the map location corresponding to the location data.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map by sending a request to a server identified by the server address; receiving a map image in response to the request; and displaying the map image.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the associated mapping application for displaying the map by identifying whether map data corresponding to the location data in the URL string is available in a memory of the device.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The wireless communication device of claim 25, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to send a request to a map server if the map data is not stored in the memory.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to register a URL hook associated with the mapping application if the mapping application is installed in the device.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to search the URL string for the trigger.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to recognize at least a portion of the URL string as the trigger when the trigger to invoke an associated mapping application is identified from the URL string.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to recognize at least a portion of the URL string by recognizing a URL hook associated with the URL string.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The wireless communication device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to search the URL string for the trigger when the mapping application is installed in the device.

### Claim 32 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the hypertext link object is a representation of the URL string.

### Claim 33 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the hypertext link object is selected from the group comprising an icon, graphics or text.

### Claim 34 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the location data comprises latitude and longitude coordinates corresponding to the location.

### Claim 35 (depends on 23)

The wireless communication device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the web browser application for receiving and displaying the map by receiving data to display a link to download and install the mapping application.