METHOD FOR ENCODING AND SERVING GEOSPATIAL OR OTHER VECTOR DATA AS IMAGES

• US 20080050024A1
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SeaDragon Software, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: AGUERA Y ARCAS, BLAISE
• Granted Patent: US 7,724,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/232
• 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, 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.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said vectors include information to launch a node or sub-node.

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

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said vectors represent sub-nodes and include information indicative of under what conditions said sub-nodes should launch.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each said data block describes at least one characteristic of the feature corresponding to each said data block.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said describing comprises at least one of:

providing text data for at least one said feature;

providing a graphical illustration of at least one said feature;

providing geometric data indicative of at least one said feature;

providing color information for at least one said feature;

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

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

providing advertising information relating to at least one said feature;

providing schematic detail of a road segment; and

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.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

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.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the location of each said pointer in said third layer at least substantially corresponds to the location in said first layer of the feature corresponding to each said pointer.

11. The method of claim 9, 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.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

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

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising flattening data in said map image.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each said pointer indicates the location of each said pointer'"'"'s corresponding data block with respect to each said pointer'"'"'s location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset in two dimensions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each said dimension of said offset is expressed in pixels.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said indicating comprises identifying an offset as a one-dimensional distance along a Hilbert curve.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said offset along said one-dimensional curve is expressed in units of pixels.