GEOSPATIAL VISUALIZATION PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT FOR CONTIGUOUS POLYLINES WITH SIMILAR DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20120323992A1
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: BROBST, CURTIS H., CANTWELL, JAMES P., MOURAD, MAGDA M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for rendering geographic information system (GIS) data. A server component responding to a request for GIS data for a given area combines contiguous elements that share the same dynamic characteristics. For example, a map server may combine the polylines of contiguous road segments sharing the same current speed/congestion conditions. Doing so may greatly reduce the number of individual polylines that are sent to a client for rendering.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of responding to a request for map data, comprising:

receiving a request for map data to render a visualization of a map;

determining static map data responsive to the request, wherein the static map data includes a set of static map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map;

determining dynamic map data responsive to the request, wherein the dynamic map data includes information characterizing a dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map;

combining adjacent dynamic map elements which share a common dynamic state into combined dynamic map elements; and

outputting the static map elements and the dynamic map elements for rendering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each dynamic map element provides a polyline segment to be rendered on the visualization of the map, and wherein combining two or more adjacent dynamic map elements comprises combining contiguous polylines.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the map includes a roadmap and wherein the dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements provides traffic congestion information then present at a section of road corresponding to a given dynamic map element.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each polyline segment is rendered using a color determined based on the dynamic state.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining updated dynamic map data for one or more of the dynamic map elements; and

outputting the updated dynamic map data to a client device, wherein the client device is configured to update the visualization of the map based on the updated dynamic map data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a client device presenting the visualization of the map, a request including location coordinates related to a first one of the combined dynamic map data elements;

identifying a first one of the adjacent dynamic map elements combined into the first combined dynamic map data element;

determining detail information related to the dynamic state of the first adjacent dynamic map element; and

in response to the request, transmitting the detail information to the client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic map data elements are formatted as GeoJSON objects.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the static map data elements are formatted as either GeoJSON objects or image tiles.

9. A computer program product for responding to a request for map which, when executed on a processor, performs an operation, comprising:

determining static map data responsive to the request, wherein the static map data includes a set of static map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map;

determining dynamic map data responsive to the request, wherein the dynamic map data includes information characterizing a dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map;

combining adjacent dynamic map elements which share a common dynamic state into combined dynamic map elements; and

outputting the static map elements and the dynamic map elements for rendering.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein each dynamic map element provides a polyline segment to be rendered on the visualization of the map, and wherein combining two or more adjacent dynamic map elements comprises combining contiguous polylines.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the map includes a roadmap and wherein the dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements provides traffic congestion information then present at a section of road corresponding to a given dynamic map element.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein each polyline segment is rendered using a color determined based on the dynamic state.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the operation further comprises:

determining updated dynamic map data for one or more of the dynamic map elements; and

sending the updated dynamic map data to a client device, wherein the client device is configured to update the visualization of the map based on the updated dynamic map data.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving, from a client device presenting the visualization of the map, a request including location coordinates related to a first one of the combined dynamic map data elements;

identifying a first one of the adjacent dynamic map elements combined into the first combined dynamic map data element;

determining detail information related to the dynamic state of the first adjacent dynamic map element; and

in response to the request, transmitting the detail information to the client device.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the dynamic map data elements are formatted as GeoJSON objects.

16. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the static map data elements are formatted as either GeoJSON objects or image tiles for rendering.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing an application program configured to perform an operation for responding to a request for map data, the operation comprising;

determining static map data responsive to the request, wherein the static map data includes a set of static map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map,

determining dynamic map data responsive to the request, wherein the dynamic map data includes information characterizing a dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements to be rendered at specified locations in the visualization of the map,

combining adjacent dynamic map elements which share a common dynamic state into combined dynamic map elements, and

outputting the static map elements and the dynamic map elements for rendering.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each dynamic map element provides a polyline segment to be rendered on the visualization of the map, and wherein combining two or more adjacent dynamic map elements comprises combining contiguous polylines.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the map includes a roadmap and wherein the dynamic state for a plurality of dynamic map elements provides traffic congestion information then present at a section of road corresponding to a given dynamic map element.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein each polyline segment is rendered using a color determined based on the dynamic state.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the operation further comprises:

determining updated dynamic map data for one or more of the dynamic map elements; and

sending the updated dynamic map data to a client device, wherein the client device is configured to update the visualization of the map based on the updated dynamic map data.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving, from a client device presenting the visualization of the map, a request including location coordinates related to a first one of the combined dynamic map data elements;

identifying a first one of the adjacent dynamic map elements combined into the first combined dynamic map data element;

determining detail information related to the dynamic state of the first adjacent dynamic map element; and

in response to the request, transmitting the detail information to the client device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the dynamic map data elements are formatted as GeoJSON objects.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the static map data elements are formatted as either GeoJSON objects or image tiles for rendering.