Adaptive map layer visibility control
First Claim
1. A method for controlling visibility of at least a portion of a layer on a display, the layer corresponding to a set of features to be displayed from a first database comprising feature data for a plurality of features in a region, the method comprising:
- calculating a final visibility value that is a function of;
features in the first database that are at least partially in a current view of the display;
mappable data capable of being associated with a location or sub-region in the region, the mappable data being used being at least partially in the current view;
orcombinations thereof; and
turning the features in the layer on or off according to the final visibility value of the current view.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The instant application provides a method and related system that adaptively turns layers on and off based upon a visibility value extracted from a respective layer or related database. Map data is first portioned by a grid and the visibility value for a layer is computed for each grid element. For a given map view, the visibility value of all grid elements within the view is used to compute an overall average visibility value for the layer in the current map view. The layer is then activated based upon the average visibility value as compared to a table of optimal scales.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling visibility of at least a portion of a layer on a display, the layer corresponding to a set of features to be displayed from a first database comprising feature data for a plurality of features in a region, the method comprising:
-
calculating a final visibility value that is a function of; features in the first database that are at least partially in a current view of the display; mappable data capable of being associated with a location or sub-region in the region, the mappable data being used being at least partially in the current view;
orcombinations thereof; and turning the features in the layer on or off according to the final visibility value of the current view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for controlling visibility of a layer on a display, the layer corresponding to a set of features to be displayed from a first database comprising feature data for a plurality of features in a region, the method comprising:
-
defining a grid comprising a plurality of grid elements, the grid overlaying at least a portion of the region; assigning a respective visibility value to each of at least a portion of the grid elements; determining which grid elements are at least partially visible within a current view of the display; utilizing the corresponding visibility values of the at least the partially visible grid elements to determine a final visibility value; and turning the layer on or off according to the final visibility value.
-
-
14. A computer system comprising:
-
a central processing unit (CPU); a display adapted to present visual information to a user and controllable by the CPU; and a memory in communications with the CPU, the memory comprising a first database comprising feature data for a plurality of features in a region, and program code executable by the CPU to perform the following steps; calculating a final visibility value that is a function of; features in the first database that are at least partially in a current view of the display; mappable data capable of being associated with a location or sub-region in the region, the mappable data being used being at least partially in the current view;
orcombinations thereof; and turning the layer on or off according to the final visibility value. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification