Interesting Patents | Google | Tuesday, March 14, 2023
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) grants hundreds of new patents every week, showcasing developments in technology and innovation. In our Interesting Patents series, we highlight exciting US patent applications and patents recently issued by the USPTO. The patent system enables the protection of innovative ideas, and newly published patent applications provide a glimpse into the future of technology and innovation.
In this edition of #InterestingPatents, we look at Google’s new patent that aims to personalize map content using an application programming interface (API)
Google’s patent describes a process that allows synchronization of personalized content, such as markers, home and work locations, favorite places, and regions, across multiple interactive digital maps from different content providers. This is achieved through a mapping API, which interacts with a personalization database and facilitates the exchange of personalized content between digital maps. The patent also enables users to access customized maps across all their devices and platforms without recreating their personalized content. The innovation could save users time and effort when interacting with various digital maps.
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Personalization of Map Content via an Application Programming Interface
ASSIGNEE: GOOGLE
US PAT. NO. 11,604,565 B2
Invention Overview:
Interactive digital maps are becoming increasingly popular for users to navigate and explore geographic areas. However, users often need to interact with multiple digital maps maintained by different content providers, each with their own features and personalized content. This can frustrate users, who must spend time recreating their customized content across other maps. Google has been issued a patent that can address this issue by personalizing map content via an application programming interface.
Google’s patent describes a process that may enable the synchronization of personalized content across interactive digital maps. The patent describes a map service provider that allows third-party content providers to obtain map data from an online repository using a mapping API. The user can interact with multiple content providers, each including an interactive digital map. With the described process, the user can authenticate with each map service provider, and the web browser on the user’s device can utilize this information to interact with third-party websites.
The process described in the patent may enable the user to personalize the embedded interactive digital map by creating a personal marker or denoting a personal preference. The mapping API can record the user’s selection of a personal marker in a personalization database, along with various other types of personalization content, such as home and work locations, favorite places, and regions defined by the user. The mapping API can facilitate an exchange of personalized content between multiple interactive digital maps. This exchange is accomplished through the API’s ability to access the personalization database, synchronize the content, and update the visualization of the digital maps.
The patent also describes a scenario where a user can access a content server associated with a third-party content provider, such as a retailer. The content data retrieved from the content server could invoke instructions to display an interactive digital map. The mapping API can be configured to retrieve map data from a map server to customize the embedded interactive digital map. The customization may be in accordance with any personalization data associated with the user, which may include indicators, overlays, map layer preferences, and styling preferences. The mapping API can also determine whether the user is logged in to a web browser and retrieve their personalization data from their profile on the browser. One of the main advantages disclosed in this patent is allowing users to access customized maps across all their devices and platforms. The process described in the patent can enable such an advantage because the personalization data associated with the user can synchronize between different instances of the interactive digital maps. This can allow users to save time and effort by not having to recreate their personalized content every time they interact with a different digital map.
In conclusion, Google’s patent for the personalization of map content via an application programming interface can provide an innovative solution to a common problem faced by users of digital maps. By using a mapping API to exchange personalized content between multiple interactive digital maps, users can access their customized maps from different devices or software applications without having to recreate their personalized content.
Patent Abstract:
A mapping API provides a digital map via a user interface of a computing device. When invoked by a software application, the mapping API is configured to receive an identifier of a user operating the software application, provide a first interactive digital map including a representation of a certain geographic area for display by the software application, where the first interactive digital map is personalizable via the software application, receive personalization content from the user via the software application, and cause a second digital map including a representation of the geographic area, when provided to the same user, to be modified in view of the personalization content, where the first digital map and the second digital map are created independently.
INTERESTING PATENTS BY FOUNDERS LEGAL
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