EFFICIENTLY DISCOVERING AND SYNTHESIZING MAPS FROM A LARGE CORPUS OF MAPS

• US 20090210388A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Elias, Miguel, Fisher, Danyel A., Elson, Jeremy E., Howell, Jonathan R.
• Application Number:
  US12/034,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210388A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

Intent of a user is determined with respect to mapping information. A search is performed for relevant maps from a plurality of disparate sources. A subset of maps from a superset of available maps are identified that correlate to the determined intent, and the subset of maps are fused or synthesized to create a single map view that aggregates and combines relevant content from respective maps of the subset.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented map system, comprising:

a query component that generates a query for map information based on received input;

a search component that executes the query across a plurality of disparate sources of map information; and

a fusion component that fuses a subset of search results to generate a composite map view.

2. The system of claim 1, the fusion component aggregates of synthesizes a set of retrieved maps to generate a single map for displaying to a user.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising an analysis component that analyzes the input or a reformulation thereof, and determines or infers user intent or goals with respect to the input.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising an indexing component that indexes respective sources of map information to facilitate accurate and efficient retrieval of map information.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising a device control component that identifies type and capabilities of a device used in connection with the system so that the system can generate a map view as a function of type and capabilities of the device.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising a location component that determines or identifies user'"'"'s physical location or user'"'"'s view context;

the system selects maps for fusing or displaying as a function of the user'"'"'s physical location or user'"'"'s view context.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a filter component that filters maps from the search results to generate a subset of relevant maps, the filtering is performed as a function of user preferences, user context, user state, or historical information.

8. The system of claim 7, the filtering is performed as a function of user'"'"'s physical location or user'"'"'s view context, map scale, or device screen real-estate.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising an artificial intelligence (AI) component that infers user intent or goals in connection with obtaining map information.

10. The system of claim 8, the AI component employing a utility-based analysis where cost of providing potentially incorrect map information is weighed against the benefit of provided relevant map information.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a query for map information;

identifying a set of maps from disparate sources that are relevant to the query; and

fusing a subset of the maps to generate a composite map for displaying to a user.

12. The method of claim 11, the fusing comprises extracting non-relevant data from the subset of maps.

13. The method of claim 12, the fusing comprises overlaying information from different maps within the composite map.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising displaying a set of thumbnails corresponding to the respective maps relevant to the query.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising modifying the composite map as a function of user interest or selection of one or more thumbnails.

16. The method of claim 11 comprising updating the composite map as a function of determined or inferred change in user intent or goal.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising receiving an indication of interest of a particular thumbnail and displaying the particular map indicated by the thumbnail in a main viewing window.

18. The method of claim 14, comprising dynamically changing opacity of map data based on proximity of a pointer to the thumbnail.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising displaying advertisements as a function of the fused map information.

20. A computer-implemented system for displaying a series of maps, the system comprising:

means for receiving location information;

means for filtering a set of maps based upon the received location information, and on scale;

means for providing the filtered set of map images as a series of thumbnails to a user;

means for receiving an indication of interest of a particular thumbnail and displaying the particular thumbnail in a main viewing window; and

means for dynamically changing opacity of map information based on proximity of a pointer to the thumbnail.