Navigation system using corridor maps

A method for displaying a map on a mobile client device, the method comprising:

• storing map data on a server, the map data comprising vector information delineating features in the map;
• determining a route from a starting point to a destination within an area of the map, the route comprising a sequence of route segments, each route segment having a respective length and heading angle;
• defining a corridor map on the server, the corridor map comprising a plurality of map segments, each map segment containing a respective route segment and having a respective zoom level and orientation determined by the length and heading angle of the respective route segment;
• downloading the vector information in the map segments from the server to the client device;
• and
• rendering on the client device a succession of images of the map segments as the user travels along the route.

Apparatus for displaying a map on a mobile client device, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a mapping server, which is adapted to store map data in the memory, the map data defining objects appearing in the map and comprising vector coordinates of the objects in a predetermined frame of reference,
• the server being further adapted to receive a request from the client device to provide a map of an area along a route on which a user of the client device is to travel, to determine a heading of travel of the user on the route, to transform the vector coordinates into a rotated frame of reference, which is approximately aligned with the heading, and to download to the client device a portion of the map data corresponding to the area along the route and comprising the transformed vector coordinates, so as to cause the client device to render, based on the downloaded map data, an image of the area of the map in the rotated frame of reference.

Apparatus for displaying a map on a mobile client device, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a mapping server, which is adapted to store map data in the memory, the map data comprising vector information delineating features in the map,
• the server being further adapted to determine a route from a starting point to a destination within an area of the map, the route comprising a sequence of route segments, each route segment having a respective length and heading angle, and to define a corridor map on the server, the corridor map comprising a plurality of map segments, each map segment containing a respective route segment and having a respective zoom level and orientation determined by the length and heading angle of the respective route segment, and to download the vector information in the map segments to the client device, so as to cause the client device to render a succession of images of the map segments as a user of the client device travels along the route.

A method for displaying a map on a mobile client device, the method comprising:

• storing map data on a server, the map data comprising vector information delineating features in the map;
• determining a route from a starting point to a destination within an area of the map, the route comprising a sequence of route segments;
• defining a corridor map on the server, the corridor map comprising a plurality of map segments, each map segment containing a respective route segment and comprising crossroads that intersect the respective route segment;
• downloading the vector information in the map segments from the server to the client device;
• rendering on the client device a succession of images of the map segments as the user travels along the route;
• and
• detecting a deviation of the user from the route, and responsively to the deviation, displaying a return path to the route on one of the crossroads.

Apparatus for displaying a map on a mobile client device, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a mapping server, which is adapted to store map data in the memory, the map data comprising vector information delineating features in the map,
• the server being further adapted to determine a route from a starting point to a destination within an area of the map, the route comprising a sequence of route segments, and to define a corridor map on the server, the corridor map comprising a plurality of map segments, each map segment containing a respective route segment and comprising crossroads that intersect the respective route segment, and to download the vector information in the map segments to the client device, so as to cause the client device to render a succession of images of the map segments as a user of the client device travels along the route, and upon detecting a deviation of the user from the route, to display a return path to the route on one of the crossroads.