Navigation system with data objects for use in integrating map data from multiple sources

A navigation system comprising:

• a user interface;
• memory;
• a processor in communication with the user interface and the memory;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executed by the processor in response to an operator's request, said instruction executed in order to
• access a file-of-reference comprising geographic item information, including a geographic item associated with a location;
• access a third-party file comprising geographic item information, including a geographic item associated with a location;
• retrieve a data object, said data object uniquely identifying the location;
• traverse links to the geographic item information in the third-party file to associate the geographic item information in the third-party file with the geographic item information in the file-of-reference;
• and
• provide the resultant information to the operator wherein the resultant information comprises a map containing the associated information.

A method of generating a map for a navigation system comprising:

• providing access to a user interface by an operator for making a request;
• accessing a file-of-reference comprising geographic item information, including a geographic item associated with a location;
• accessing a third-party file comprising geographic item information, including a geographic item associated with a location;
• retrieving a data object, said data object uniquely identifying the location;
• traversing links to the geographic item information in the third-party file to associate the geographic item information in the third-party file with the geographic item information in the file-of-reference;
• and
• providing the resultant information to the operator wherein the resultant information comprises a map containing the associated information.