US 2020/0050647 A1 · INTELLIGENT DISTRIBUTED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM

Abstract

Interactive geographic information systems (GIS) and techniques are disclosed that provide users with a greater degree of flexibility, utility, and information. A markup language is provided that facilitates communication between servers and clients of the interactive GIS, which enables a number of GIS features, such as network links (time-based and/or view-dependent dynamic data layers), ground overlays, screen overlays, placemarks, 3D models, and stylized GIS elements, such as geometry, icons, description balloons, polygons, and labels in the viewer by which the user sees the target area. Also, “virtual tours” of user-defined paths in the context of distributed geospatial visualization is enabled. Streaming and interactive visualization of filled polygon data are also enabled thereby allowing buildings and other such features to be provided in 3D. Also, techniques for enabling ambiguous search requests in a GIS are provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for automatically updating digital maps, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors in a client device via a communication network from a geographic information systems (GIS) server system, geographic information for generating interactive digital maps;
generating, by the one or more processors in the client device, a digital map of a geographic area using the received geographic information;
receiving, by the one or more processors in the client device via the communication network from the GIS server system, a geospatial description file that includes a location and a viewpoint of a virtual camera for viewing the location, wherein the viewpoint is unrelated to geometry specified by the location;
and
presenting, by the one or more processors in the client device, an indication of the location on the digital map, the digital map presented from the viewpoint of the virtual camera.

2 more elements

A client device comprising:

one or more processors;
and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to:
receive, via a communication network from a geographic information systems (GIS) server system, geographic information for generating interactive digital maps;
generate a digital map of a geographic area using the received geographic information;
receive, via the communication network from the GIS server system, a geospatial description file that includes a geographic area and a viewpoint of a virtual camera for viewing the geographic area, wherein the viewpoint is unrelated to geometry specified by the geographic area;
and
present an indication of the geographic area on the digital map, the digital map presented from the viewpoint of the virtual camera.

5 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via a communication network from a geographic information systems (GIS) server system, geographic information for generating interactive digital maps;
generate a digital map of a geographic area using the received geographic information;
receive, via the communication network from the GIS server system, a geospatial description file that includes a geographic area and a viewpoint of a virtual camera for viewing the geographic area, wherein the viewpoint is unrelated to geometry specified by the geographic area;
and
present an indication of the geographic area on the digital map, the digital map presented from the viewpoint of the virtual camera.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intelligent distributed geographic information system

Life of this patent

Intelligent distributed geographic information system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20