Object-based geographic information system (GIS)

A method of building an object-based database of a topology having topological features, comprising the steps of:

• identifying the topological features as geometrical objects, the geometrical objects being one of a polygon object, a polyline object and a point object;
• storing the identified polygon objects in a polygon object database, each polygon object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• storing the identified polyline objects in a polyline object database, each polyline object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• and
• storing the identified point objects in a point object database, each point object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• wherein when the object-based database is accessed, a topological region can be displayed in real time.

An article, comprising:

• at least one sequence of machine executable instructions;
• a medium bearing the executable instructions in machine readable form, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to:
• access at least one object-based database comprising geometrical objects representing topological features of a topology, each geometrical object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• fetch the geometrical objects having a region identifier attribute associated with a selected topological region from the at least one accessed database;
• draw representations of topological features using the geometry attributes from the fetched geometrical objects on a display in real time.

A computer architecture for displaying a topology having topological features on a display, comprising:

• selecting means for selecting a topological region to display;
• accessing means for accessing at least one object-based database comprising geometrical objects representing topological features, each geometrical object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• fetching means for fetching geometrical objects having a region identifier attribute associated with the selected topological region from the at least one accessed database;
• and
• drawing means for drawing representations of topological features using the geometry attributes from the fetched geometrical objects on the display in real time.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor, the memory having stored therein sequences of instructions, which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:
• selecting a topological region to display;
• accessing at least one object-based database comprising geometrical objects representing topological features, each geometrical object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• fetching geometrical objects having a region identifier attribute associated with the selected topological region from the at least one accessed database;
• and
• drawing representations of topological features using the geometry attributes from the fetched geometrical objects on the display in real time.

A computer-readable medium having a data structure stored thereon for access by a GIS system to enable display of topological regions having topological features in real time, the data structure comprising:

• a polygon object database having polygon objects, each polygon object representing a topological feature, each polygon object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• a polyline object database having polyline objects, each polyline object associated with a topological region, each polyline object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• and
• a point object database having point objects, each point object associated with a topological region, each point object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature.

A data structure for manipulation by a processor to enable display of topological regions in real time on a display having topological features comprising:

• a polygon object database having polygon objects, each polygon object representing a topological feature, each polygon object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• a polyline object database having polyline objects, each polyline object associated with a topological region, each polyline object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature;
• and
• a point object database having point objects, each point object associated with a topological region, each point object comprising a region identifier attribute and a geometry attribute defining the geometry of a complete representation of a topological feature.