POLYGON DISSECTION IN A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM

• US 20100118051A1
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pandell Technology USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: LandWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Phillips, Miles Henry
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/40 Hidden part removal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

In general, the invention relates to a method for performing polygon dissections in a geographic information system. The method includes receiving a notification of a spatial update for a number of polygons, where each of the number of polygons overlaps at least one of a number of previously dissected polygons, determining that a dissection is required based on the spatial update, and obtaining an updated polygon, associated with the spatial update, and related polygons of the number of polygons, where each of the related polygons overlaps the updated polygon. The method further includes dissecting the updated polygon and the related polygons to obtain a number of dissected polygons and replacing at least one of the number of previously dissected polygons with the number of dissected polygons, where the at least one of the number of previously dissected polygons is invalid based on the spatial update.

Claims

1. A method for performing polygon dissections in a geographic information system comprising:

receiving a notification of a spatial update for a plurality of polygons, wherein each of the plurality of polygons overlaps at least one of a plurality of previously dissected polygons;

determining that a dissection is required in response to the spatial update;

obtaining an updated polygon, associated with the spatial update, and related polygons of the plurality of polygons, wherein each of the related polygons overlaps the updated polygon;

dissecting the updated polygon and the related polygons to obtain a plurality of dissected polygons; and

replacing at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons with the plurality of dissected polygons, wherein the at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons is invalid based on the spatial update.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating data relationships based on the spatial update during the dissection of the updated polygon and the related polygons, wherein each of the data relationships defines the relationships between one of the plurality of dissected polygons and attribute data of the updated polygon and the related polygons.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining the attribute data related to the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons using the updated data relationships;

summarizing the attribute data to obtain summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

updating annotations of the summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the attribute data satisfies search criteria specified by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of dissected polygons represents a smallest geographic area between boundaries of the updated polygon and the related polygons.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatial update is one of a group consisting of adding the updated polygon, deleting the updated polygon, and modifying the updated polygon.

8. A system for performing polygon dissections, comprising:

an application for execution on a processor and configured to perform a spatial update for a plurality of polygons, wherein each of the plurality of polygons overlaps at least one of a plurality of previously dissected polygons,

a dissection module for execution on the processor and configured to;

in response to receiving a notification of the spatial update, determine that a dissection is required;

obtain an updated polygon, associated with the spatial update, and related polygons of the plurality of polygons, wherein each of the related polygons overlaps the updated polygon;

dissect the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons to obtain a plurality of dissected polygons; and

replace at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons with the plurality of dissected polygons, wherein the at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons is invalid based on the spatial update, and

a data repository coupled to the dissection module and configured to store the plurality of dissected polygons.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an attribute module for execution on the processor and configured to;

update data relationships based on the spatial update during the dissection of the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons, wherein each of the data relationships defines the relationships between one of the plurality of dissected polygons and attribute data of the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the attribute module is further configured to:

obtain the attribute data related to the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons using the updated data relationships;

summarize the attribute data to obtain summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an annotation module for execution on the processor and configured to;

update annotations of the summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the attribute data satisfies search criteria specified by a user.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of dissected polygons represents a smallest geographic area between boundaries of the updated polygon and the related polygons.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the spatial update is one of a group consisting of adding the updated polygon, deleting the updated polygon, and modifying the updated polygon.

15. A computer readable medium, embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform method steps for performing polygon dissections in a geographic information system, the instructions comprising functionality to:

receive a notification of a spatial update for a plurality of polygons, wherein each of the plurality of polygons overlaps at least one of a plurality of previously dissected polygons;

determine that a dissection is required based on the spatial update;

obtain an updated polygon, associated with the spatial update, and related polygons of the plurality of polygons, wherein each of the related polygons overlaps the updated polygon;

dissect the updated polygon and the related polygons to obtain a plurality of dissected polygons; and

replace at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons with the plurality of dissected polygons, wherein the at least one of the plurality of previously dissected polygons is invalid based on the spatial update.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising functionality to:

update data relationships based on the spatial update during the dissection of the updated polygon and the related polygons, wherein each of the data relationships defines the relationships between one of the plurality of dissected polygons and attribute data of the updated polygon and the related polygons.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the instructions further comprising functionality to:

obtain the attribute data related to the updated polygon and the plurality of related polygons using the updated data relationships;

summarize the attribute data to obtain summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, the instructions further comprising functionality to:

update annotations of the summarized attribute data for each of the plurality of dissected polygons.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the attribute data satisfies search criteria specified by a user.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of dissected polygons represents a smallest geographic area between boundaries of the updated polygon and the related polygons.