System and method for synchronizing raster and vector map images

• US 20010026270A1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sourceprose Corporation (TransUnion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sourceprose Corporation (TransUnion Corporation)
• Inventors: Higgins, Darin Wayne, Scott, Dan Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means

Abstract

A system and method for coordinated manipulation of multiple displayed maps, even when the maps use different internal coordinate systems. According to this embodiment, each map image to be displayed is first georeferenced, to provide a set of conversion functions between each map'"'"'s internal coordinate system and a geographic coordinate system, which is latitude/longitude in the preferred embodiment. After this is done, any point on each map can be referenced using the geographic coordinate set. Since this is the case, the maps can now be manipulated, edited, and annotated in a synchronized manner, by defining the manipulations in terms of the geographic coordinate system, and using the georeferencing functions to translate the manipulation to each map'"'"'s internal coordinate system.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating a map, comprising:

determining a boundary of a geographic region of a first map;

converting the boundary of the geographic region of the first map into a corresponding boundary of a second map; and

configuring the boundary of the second map for display.

2. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the act of loading a first map.

3. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the act of loading a second map.

4. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the act of displaying the first map.

5. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the act of displaying the second map.

6. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the act of displaying a region of the first map (the first region) and a region of the second map (the second region), wherein the first region is substantially similar to the second region.

7. The method of

claim 1

wherein the first map is a georeferenced map.

8. The method of

claim 1

wherein the second map is a georeferenced map.

9. The method of

claim 1

wherein the boundary is associated with a longitude coordinate and a latitude coordinate.

10. The method of

claim 1

wherein converting converts the boundary of the user-selected geographic region of the first map from a first map coordinate system into an intermediate coordinate system, the intermediate coordinate system being georeferenced.

11. The method of

claim 1

wherein converting associates a georeferenced coordinate of the first map with a georeferenced coordinate of the second map.

12. The method of

claim 1

wherein converting transfers georeferenced coordinate of the first map to a natural coordinate of the second map.

13. The method of

claim 1

further comprising receiving a user interaction that creates a new boundary for the first map.

14. The method of

claim 13

further comprising determining a georeferenced coordinate for the new boundary.

15. The method of

claim 13

further comprising the act of determining a georeferenced coordinate for the new boundary of the second map, such that the new boundary coordinate of the second map corresponds with a new boundary coordinate of the first map.

16. The method of

claim 14

further comprising configuring the new boundary of the first map for display.

17. The method of

claim 15

further comprising configuring the new boundary of the second map for display.

18. A method in a computer system for manipulating a first map and a second map, comprising:

determining a boundary of a geographic region of a first map;

converting the boundary of a geographic region of the first map into a corresponding boundary of a second map; and

providing for display the boundary of the second map.

19. The method in the computer system of

claim 18

, further comprising:

displaying a region of the first map (the first region), and a region of the second map (the second region), wherein the first region is substantially similar to the second region;

receiving a user interaction that creates a new boundary for the first map;

determining a coordinate for the new boundary of the first map; and

determining a coordinate for the second map such that the coordinate for the second map relates to the new boundary of the first map.

20. A computer readable medium whose contents enable map manipulation, by:

determining a boundary of a geographic region of a first map;

converting the boundary of the first map into a corresponding boundary of a second map; and

providing for display the boundary of the second map.