Method and system for automatic generation of shape and curvature data for a geographic database

A method of storing data in a geographic database to represent road shape comprising the steps of:

• obtaining source data that represent a plurality of points along roads;
• determining which of said plurality of points are necessary to represent the roads with a desired level of accuracy;
• and
• storing in said geographic database data to represent those points determined to be necessary,
• wherein said step of determining is based upon an evaluation of said plurality of points such that each point determined not to be necessary is located less than a distance associated with said level of accuracy away from a straight line that connects the closest necessary points on either side of said point determined not be necessary.

A method of making geographic database products comprising the steps of:

• obtaining source data that represent a plurality of points along roads;
• determining which of said source data are necessary to represent said roads with a level of accuracy corresponding to a highest level of accuracy required for a derived database product;
• storing in a master geographic database those source data determined to be necessary to represent said roads with at least said highest level of accuracy;
• forming the first derived database product with the source data contained in said master geographic database;
• determining which of said source data are necessary to represent said roads with a level of accuracy that is lower than the highest level;
• and
• forming a second derived database product from the source data determined to be necessary to represent said roads with said level of accuracy that is lower than the highest level.

A method of making geographic database products comprising the steps of:

• obtaining source data that represent a plurality of points along roads;
• determining which of said source data are necessary to represent said roads with a specified planar level of accuracy and a specified vertical level of accuracy;
• and
• storing in a master geographic database those source data determined to be necessary to represent said roads with said specified planar level of accuracy and said specified vertical level of accuracy.