Methods and Devices for Providing, Receiving or Managing Maps

A method executed in a map server for enabling selection of maps at a user device, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the user device, a request for map meta-data, the request comprising at least one map criterion, specifying at least one map selecting condition, and location data, indicating the location of the user device;
• searching, in a map meta-data database, for map meta-data matching the received location data and the at least one map criterion;
• retrieving, from the map meta-data database, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• and
• providing the retrieved map meta-data to the user device, thereby enabling the user device to automatically select, from a map database, via the map server, at least one map, at least partly on the basis of the retrieved map meta-data;
• receiving, from the user device, a request for a selected map;
• acquiring the requested map from the map database, and
• providing the selected map to the user device.

A method executed by a user device for retrieving maps from a map server, the method comprising:

• recognizing location data, specifying the location of the user device, and at least one map criterion, specifying at least one map selecting condition;
• transmitting, to a map server capable of accessing maps from a map database, a request for map meta-data, the request comprising the at least one map criterion, and the location data, thereby initiating, at the map server, a search for map meta-data matching the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• receiving, from the map server, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• selecting, at least partly on the basis of the received map meta-data, and requesting from the map server, at least one map;
• and
• receiving the at least one requested map from the map server.

A method executed in a map processing engine for managing maps and for making the maps available to a user device via a map server, the method comprising:

• retrieving, from at least one map data source, updated or new map data associated with a map;
• converting the retrieved map data into a common data format;
• extracting, from at least a first map meta-data source and/or the at least one map data source, a first set of map meta-data associated with said map;
• arranging the extracted map meta-data such that it is linked to the associated map data, and
• storing the map data in the map database and the extracted meta-data in a map meta-data database, thereby enabling a user device to select maps assembled from map data retrievable from the map database at least partly on the basis of associated map meta-data, retrievable from the map meta-data database.

A map server comprising:

• a processor and
• a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• recognize a request for map meta-data, received from a user device, the request comprising at least one map criterion specifying at least one map selecting condition, and location data, indicating the location of the user device;
• search, in a map database accessible to the map server, for map meta-data matching the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• retrieve, from a map meta-data database, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• provide the retrieved map meta-data to the user device;
• receive, from the user device, a request for at least one map, selected at least partly on the basis of the map meta-data;
• acquire, from a map database, the at least one requested map;
• and
• provide the at least one requested map to the user device.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereupon, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a processor of a map server, are configured to cause the processor to:

• recognize a request for map meta-data, received from a user device, the request comprising at least one map criterion, specifying at least one map selecting condition, and location data, indicating the location of the user device;
• search, in a map database accessible to the map server, for map meta-data matching the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• retrieve, from a map meta-data database, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• provide the retrieved map meta-data to the user device;
• receive, from the user device, a request for at least one map, selected at least partly on the basis of the map meta-data;
• acquire, from a map database, the at least one requested map;
• and
• provide the at least one requested map to the user device.

A user device comprising:

• a processor and
• a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• recognize location data, specifying the location of the user device, and at least one map criterion, specifying at least one map selecting condition;
• transmit, to a map server capable of accessing maps from a map database, a request for map related map meta-data, the request comprising the at least one map criterion, and the location data, thereby initiating, at the map server, a search for map meta-data matching the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• receive, from the map server, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• select, at least partly on the basis of the received map meta-data, and request from the map server, at least one map;
• and
• receive the at least one requested map from the map server.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereupon, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a processor of a user device, cause the processor to:

• recognize location data, specifying the location of the user device, and at least one map criterion, specifying at least one map selecting condition;
• transmit, to a map server capable of accessing maps from a map database, a request for map related map meta-data, the request comprising the at least one map criterion, and the location data, thereby initiating, at the map server, a search for map meta-data matching the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• receive, from the map server, map meta-data associated with at least one map, in the event of at least one match between the map meta-data, the location data and the at least one map criterion;
• select, at least partly on the basis of the received map meta-data, and request, from the map server, at least one map;
• and
• receive the at least one requested map from the map server.

A map processing engine comprising:

• a processor and
• a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
• retrieve, from at least one map data source, updated or new map data associated with a map;
• convert the retrieved map data into a common data format;
• extract, from at least one of a first map meta-data source and the map data source, a first set of map meta-data associated with said map data;
• map the extracted map meta-data with the associated map data, and
• store the map data in a map database, and the extracted map meta-data in a map meta-data database, thereby enabling a user device to select maps assembled from map data retrievable from the map database at least partly on the basis of associated map meta-data, retrievable from the map meta-data database.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising stored thereupon a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed on a processor of a map processing engine, cause the processor to:

• retrieve, from at least one map data source, updated or new map data associated with a map;
• convert the retrieved map data into a common data format;
• extract, from at least one of a first map meta-data source and the map data source, a first set of map meta-data associated with said map data;
• map the extracted map meta-data with the associated map data;
• and
• store the map data in a map database, and the extracted map meta-data in a map meta-data database, thereby enabling a user device to select maps assembled from map data retrievable from the map database at least partly on the basis of associated map meta-data, retrievable from the map meta-data database.