Map version control methods and apparatus for updating the use of network-maintained map data sets for mobile communication devices

A mobile communication device, comprising:

• a wireless transceiver;
• one or more processors;
• a cache memory coupled to the one or more processors;
• a user interface which includes a visual display;
• the one or more processors being operative to:
• receive, via the wireless transceiver from one or more network databases, one or more maplets of map data for rendering a map, each said maplet having a plurality of layers of map data received upon request from the mobile communication device, each said layer including a version number and a plurality of data entries associated therewith, each said layer being obtained from a database of a different network than another said layer, each said data entry indicating a plurality of data points for rendering one or more artifacts or labels within an area of interest of the map;
• cause the map data to be stored in the cache memory;
• cause the map of the area of interest to be rendered in the visual display by combining the plurality of layers of the stored map data;
• receive, via the wireless transceiver, an indication indicating availability of an alternative version of one of the layers which may be different from a stored version of a corresponding layer of the stored map data;
• identify one of an acceptance and a declination of the alternative version said layer;
• compare a version number of said layer of the alternative version with the version number included in said corresponding layer of the stored version;
• if the version number of the alternative version is greater than the version number of the stored version, and the acceptance is identified:
• cause one or more requests for the alternative version of said layer for the area of interest to be sent via the wireless transceiver, receive the alternative version of the said layer for the area of interest from the one or more network databases via the wireless transceiver in response to the one or more requests, and cause the map of the area of interest to be rendered in the visual display in accordance with the combined plurality of layers of the stored map data but with use of the alternative version of said layer;
• and
• if the version number of the alternative version is less than or equal to the version number of the stored version, or the declination is identified:
• refrain from causing one or more requests for the alternative version of said layer for the area of interest to be sent via the wireless transceiver, and continue to cause the map to be rendered in the visual display in accordance with the combined plurality of layers of the stored map data but without use of the alternative version of said layer.

A map version control method of providing updates of network-maintained map data sets for mobile communication devices, the method comprising:

• causing map data to be sent from a plurality of network databases to a mobile communication device via a wireless communication network in one or more maplets for use in rendering a map at the mobile communication device, each said maplet including a plurality of layers of map data communicated upon request from the mobile communication device, each said layer including a version number and a plurality of data entries associated therewith, each said layer being obtained from a network database of a different network than another said layer, each said data entry indicating a plurality of data points for rendering one or more artifacts or labels within an area of interest of the map;
• receiving an alternative version of one of the layers of the map data from one of the network databases, the alternative version being different from a stored version of a corresponding layer in the map data, said layer of the alternative version including a version number which is different from the version number associated with said corresponding layer of the map data;
• causing an indication to be sent to the mobile communication device via the wireless communication network, the indication indicating availability of the alternative version of said layer and including the version number associated therewith;
• if the mobile communication device accepts the alternative version:
• receiving one or more requests for the alternative version of said layer for the area of interest via the wireless communication network and causing the alternative version of said layer for the area of interest to be sent to the mobile communication device via the wireless communication network in response to the one or more requests, so that the map of the area of interest may be rendered in a display of the mobile communication device by combining the plurality of layers of the map data with use of the alternative version of said layer;
• and
• if the mobile communication device refrains from accepting the alternative version:
• refraining from causing the alternative version of said layer for the area of interest to be sent to the mobile communication device via the wireless communication network, so that the map of the area of interest may be rendered in the display of the mobile communication device by combining the plurality of layers of the map data without use of the alternative version of said layer.