Extended map tile data structures
AssigneeTomtom Navigation B.V.
InventorSebastian BUKOWIECKI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a novel “map chunking” approach in data for a digital map is stored and managed as a set of “map chunks”, wherein each map chunk contains data for generating a plurality of different map tiles at different zoom levels (levels of detail). When a particular map tile is required at a certain zoom level, therefore, rather than obtaining the map tile directly, the corresponding map chunk containing data for generating that map tile is obtained, and the map tile is then generated from the map chunk.
Claims20
A method of operating a server system, wherein the server system manages data for a digital map, and includes a server that is operable to provide such data for the digital map to one or more client applications,
- wherein the digital map encompasses a certain geographic area, and wherein the digital map is subdivided into a hierarchy of map tiles in which different levels of the hierarchy represent different zoom levels, such that map tiles within different levels of the hierarchy correspond to different-sized sections of the digital map containing different levels of detail, and
- wherein there is stored, in respective storage associated with or accessible by the server, a set of map chunks, each map chunk corresponding to a respective portion of the digital map, and each map chunk containing data for generating a plurality of different map tiles at multiple, different zoom levels within its corresponding portion of the digital map,
- the method comprising:
- when data for a map tile at a particular zoom level that is contained within a respective map chunk is to be provided to a client application:
- obtaining the respective map chunk containing the data for generating the requested map tile;
- and
- using the obtained map chunk to provide data for the requested map tile to the client application.
A server system that manages data for a digital map, and that includes a server that is operable to provide such data for the digital map to one or more client applications,
- wherein the digital map encompasses a certain geographic area, and wherein the digital map is subdivided into a hierarchy of map tiles in which different levels of the hierarchy represent different zoom levels, such that map tiles within different levels of the hierarchy correspond to different-sized sections of the geographic area encompassed by the digital map containing different levels of detail, and
- wherein there is stored in respective storage that is associated with or accessible by the server, a set of map chunks, each map chunk corresponding to a respective portion of the digital map, and each map chunk containing data for generating a plurality of different map tiles at multiple, different zoom levels within its corresponding portion of the digital map,
- wherein when data for a map tile at a particular zoom level that is contained within a respective map chunk is to be provided to a client application, the map data processing system is operable and configured to obtain the respective map chunk containing the data for generating the requested map tile and to use the obtained map chunk to provide data for the requested map tile to the client application.
A non-transitory medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method to manage data for a digital map and provide such data for the digital map to one or more client applications,
- wherein the digital map encompasses a certain geographic area, and wherein the digital map is subdivided into a hierarchy of map tiles in which different levels of the hierarchy represent different zoom levels, such that map tiles within different levels of the hierarchy correspond to different-sized sections of the digital map containing different levels of detail, and
- wherein there is stored, in respective storage associated with or accessible by the server, a set of map chunks, each map chunk corresponding to a respective portion of the digital map, and each map chunk containing data for generating a plurality of different map tiles at multiple, different zoom levels within its corresponding portion of the digital map,
- the method comprising:
- when data for a map tile at a particular zoom level that is contained within a respective map chunk is to be provided to a client application:
- obtaining the respective map chunk containing the data for generating the requested map tile;
- and
- using the obtained map chunk to provide data for the requested map tile to the client application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.