Method for encoding and serving geospatial or other vector data as images

• US 20050270288A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Arcas, Blaise Aguera y
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/428
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/63 using sub-band based transform, e.g. wavelets

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed which include providing a first layer of an image, the first layer including features of the image having locations within the first layer; and providing a second layer of the image, the second layer including data blocks corresponding to respective ones of the features; each data block being in a location in the second layer substantially corresponding to a location in the first layer of the feature corresponding to each data block, wherein a size and shape of the second layer substantially correspond to a size and shape of said first layer.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting information indicative of an image comprising transmitting one or more nodes of information as a first image, transmitting a second image including information indicative of vectors defining characteristics to be utilized for display at predetermined locations in said first image, and transmitting a third image comprising a mapping between said first and second images such that a receiver of said first and second images can correlate said first and second images to utilize said vectors at said predetermined locations.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first image is a map and wherein said second image is a set of vectors defining visual data that is only displayed at predetermined levels of detail.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first image is a map.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second image includes hyperlinks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first image is a map and wherein said second image includes a set of vectors and wherein plural ones of said vectors are located at locations corresponding to locations on said first image wherein said vectors are to be applied, and wherein plural ones of said vectors are located at locations on said second image which do not correspond to said locations on said first image wherein said vectors are to be applied.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising utilizing an efficient packing algorithm to construct said second image to decrease an amount of space between a location on said second image at which one or more vectors appear, and a location on said first image where said one or more vectors are to be applied.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said vectors include information to launch a node or sub-node.

8. A method of rendering an image comprising receiving a first, second, and third set of data from a remote computer, the first data set being representative of an image, the second being representative of vectors defining characteristics of said image at prescribed locations, and the third said serving to prescribe said locations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said prescribed locations are street locations on a map.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said vectors represent sub-nodes and include information indicative of under what conditions said sub-nodes should launch.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said vectors include hyperlinks to at least one of the group consisting of:

external web sites and embedded visual content.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said vectors include hyperlinks to advertising materials.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said vectors include information specifying a rendering method for portions of an image at predetermined locations in said image.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein said describing comprises:

providing advertising information relating to at least one said feature.

14. A method, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer; and

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to respective ones of said features;

each said data block being in a location in said second layer substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block, wherein a size and shape of said second layer substantially correspond to a size and shape of said first layer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein each said data block describes at least one characteristic of the feature corresponding to each said data block.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing a third layer of said image, said third layer including pointers, each said pointer corresponding to a respective one of said features and a respective one of said data blocks.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein each said pointer indicates the location of each said pointer'"'"'s corresponding data block with respect to each said pointer'"'"'s location.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing text data for at least one said feature.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing a graphical illustration of at least one said feature.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing geometric data indicative of at least one said feature.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said geometric data comprises contour data.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing color information for at least one said feature.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing at least one link to an external web site relating to at least one said feature.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing embedded visual content relating to at least one said feature.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing schematic detail of a road segment.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein said describing comprises:

providing schematic detail for at least one of the group consisting of;

at least one road, at least one park, a topography of a region, a hydrography of a body of water, at least one building, at least one public restroom, at least one wireless fidelity station, at least one power line, and at least one stadium.

28. An apparatus including a processing unit operating under the control of one or more software programs that are operable to cause the processing unit to execute actions, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer; and

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to respective ones of said features;

each said data block being in a location in said second layer substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block, wherein a size and shape of said second layer substantially correspond to a size and shape of said first layer.

29. A storage medium containing one or more software programs that are operable to cause a processing unit to execute actions, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer; and

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to respective ones of said features;

each said data block being in a location in said second layer substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block, wherein a size and shape of said second layer substantially correspond to a size and shape of said first layer.

30. A method, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer;

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to and describing respective ones of said features, each said data block being in a location in said second layer at least substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block; and

providing a third layer of said image, said third layer including pointers having locations in said third layer, each said pointer corresponding to a respective one of said features and a respective one of said data blocks, the location of each said pointer in said third layer at least substantially corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said pointer.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said second layer and said third layer each have a size and shape corresponding to a size and a shape of said first layer.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

forming a map image from a combination of said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising flattening data in said map image.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein each said pointer indicates the location of each said pointer'"'"'s corresponding data block with respect to each said pointer'"'"'s location.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset in two dimensions.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein each said dimension of said offset is expressed in pixels.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset as a one-dimensional distance along a Hilbert curve.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said offset along said one-dimensional curve is expressed in units of pixels.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein said offset along said one-dimensional curve is expressed in units corresponding to integral multiples of pixels.

40. The method of claim 30 wherein said providing said second layer of said image comprises:

locating each said data block employing a packing algorithm to achieve a maximum proximity of each said data block to a target location for each said data block in said second layer, said target location in said second layer corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said maximum proximity is determined based on a shortest straight-line distance between each said data block'"'"'s location and said target location for each said data block.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein said maximum proximity is determined based on a sum of absolute values of offsets in each of two dimensions between each said data block'"'"'s location and said target location for each said data block.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein said maximum proximity is determined based on a minimum Hilbert curve length between each said data block'"'"'s location and said target location for each said data block.

44. A storage medium containing one or more software programs that are operable to cause a processing unit to execute actions, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer;

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to and describing respective ones of said features, each said data block being in a location in said second layer at least substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block; and

providing a third layer of said image, said third layer including pointers having locations in said third layer, each said pointer corresponding to a respective one of said features and a respective one of said data blocks, the location of each said pointer in said third layer at least substantially corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said pointer.

45. The storage medium of claim 44 wherein said second layer and said third layer each have a size and shape corresponding to a size and a shape of said first layer.

46. The storage medium of claim 44 wherein the processing unit executes the further action of:

forming a map image from a combination of said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer.

47. The storage medium of claim 44 wherein each said pointer indicates the location of each said pointer'"'"'s corresponding data block with respect to each said pointer'"'"'s location.

48. The storage medium of claim 44 wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset in two dimensions.

49. The storage medium of claim 44 wherein said providing said second layer of said image comprises:

locating each said data block employing a packing algorithm to achieve a maximum proximity of each said data block to a target location for each said data block in said second layer, said target location in said second layer corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block.

50. The storage medium of claim 49 wherein said maximum proximity is determined based on a shortest straight-line distance between each said data block'"'"'s location and said target location for each said data block.

51. An apparatus including a processing unit operating under the control of one or more software programs that are operable to cause the processing unit to execute actions, comprising:

providing a first layer of an image, said first layer including features of said image having locations within said first layer;

providing a second layer of said image, said second layer including data blocks corresponding to and describing respective ones of said features, each said data block being in a location in said second layer at least substantially corresponding to a location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block; and

providing a third layer of said image, said third layer including pointers having locations in said third layer, each said pointer corresponding to a respective one of said features and a respective one of said data blocks, the location of each said pointer in said third layer at least substantially corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said pointer.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said second layer and said third layer each have a size and shape corresponding to a size and a shape of said first layer.

53. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the processing unit executes the further action of:

forming a map image from a combination of said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer.

54. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein each said pointer indicates the location of each said pointer'"'"'s corresponding data block with respect to each said pointer'"'"'s location.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset in two dimensions.

56. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said providing said second layer of said image comprises:

locating each said data block employing a packing algorithm to achieve a maximum proximity of each said data block to a target location for each said data block in said second layer, said target location in said second layer corresponding to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said data block.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 wherein said maximum proximity is determined based on a shortest straight-line distance between each said data block'"'"'s location and said target location for each said data block.