Selective polygon map display method
First Claim
1. A method of selectively displaying areal and linear features having polygon fill of vector data for world maps and other display items by signal transformation of data representative of areal and linear features from which polygons can be extracted comprising:
- feeding said data representative of areal and linear features from which closed polygons can be extracted to a computer;
establishing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, display geographic coordinate relationships for display;
transforming from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, a greater circle polyline format for display;
selecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, background overlay features for display;
determining from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, spatial relationships between spherical polygons for display;
processing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, to provide clipping and singularity removal at map interruption lines to allow the display of curved surface features in a flat plane;
clipping from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, polygons by lines so that portions thereof can be displayed as separate areas;
projecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographic coordinates onto a defined map display for the display thereof;
providing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, inverse transformations to latitude/longitude which is the inverse of geographic to display coordinates for the display thereof; and
displaying said signal transformations of said establishing, transforming, selecting, determining, processing, clipping, projecting and providing to enable choices of the displayed said signal transformations to allow a designation of said choices of the displayed said signal transformations thereby assuring said selectably displaying of said areal and linear features.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Signal transformations of inputted data brought about by 58 new subroutines in combination with other subroutines to display world maps or other display items with the unique capability of performing the following functions in complete generality. (1) Arbitrary selection of map center and coverage, including global displays, (2) filling of all land and lake areas defined by polygons composed of an arbitrary number of vertices, (3) clipping of map features and overlays at map boundaries and poles, (4) selection from any of nineteen currently implemented map projections with provision to install any other projection topologically similar to an oblique conic, (5) calculation of latitude/longitude for any point on a map without the need for inverse mapping equations, and (6) an efficient method of plotting polyline segments along great circles. These are a number of feature functions provided by this inventive concept. The software could potentially be used with any digital global geographic data base, such as World Data Bank II (WDBII), a geographic information system or other data base where polylines are used to depict linear and/or areal features. Polygon (region filled) maps and other display items can be constructed from any data base from which closed polygons can be extracted directly, or constructed via additional processing.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of selectively displaying areal and linear features having polygon fill of vector data for world maps and other display items by signal transformation of data representative of areal and linear features from which polygons can be extracted comprising:
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feeding said data representative of areal and linear features from which closed polygons can be extracted to a computer; establishing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, display geographic coordinate relationships for display; transforming from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, a greater circle polyline format for display; selecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, background overlay features for display; determining from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, spatial relationships between spherical polygons for display; processing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, to provide clipping and singularity removal at map interruption lines to allow the display of curved surface features in a flat plane; clipping from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, polygons by lines so that portions thereof can be displayed as separate areas; projecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographic coordinates onto a defined map display for the display thereof; providing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, inverse transformations to latitude/longitude which is the inverse of geographic to display coordinates for the display thereof; and displaying said signal transformations of said establishing, transforming, selecting, determining, processing, clipping, projecting and providing to enable choices of the displayed said signal transformations to allow a designation of said choices of the displayed said signal transformations thereby assuring said selectably displaying of said areal and linear features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of selectively displaying areal and linear features having polygon fill of vector data for world maps and other display items by signal transformations of data representative of areal and linear features from which polygons and polylines can be extracted comprising:
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feeding said data representative of areal and linear features from which closed polygons and polylines can be extracted to a computer; establishing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographic coordinate relationships for display and interrogation; transforming from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, a great circle polyline format for display; selecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, background and overlay features for display; determining from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, spatial relationships between spherical and loxodrome polygons for display; processing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, to provide clipping and singularity removal at map interruption lines to allow the display of curved surface features on a plane; clipping from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, polygons by lines and great circle lines so that portions thereof can be displayed as disjoint entities; projecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographical coordinates onto a graphic device for the display thereof; providing from graphic displays of said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, inverse transformations from map plane coordinates to geographic coordinates for the display and spatial interrogation thereof; and displaying said signal transformations of said establishing, transforming, selecting, determining, processing, clipping, projecting and providing to enable choices of the displayed said signal transformations to allow a designation of said choices of the displayed said signal transformations thereby assuring said selectably displaying of said areal and linear features. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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13. A method of selectively displaying areal and linear features having polygon fill of vector data for world maps and other display items by signal transformations of data representative of areal and linear features from which polygons and polylines can be extracted comprising:
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feeding said data representative of areal and linear features from which closed polygons and polylines can be extracted to a computer; establishing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographic coordinate relationships for display and interrogation; transforming from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, a great circle polyline format for display; selecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, background overlay features for display; determining from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, spatial relationships between spherical and loxodrome polygons for display; processing from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, to provide clipping and singularity removal at map interruption lines to allow the display of curved surface features on a plane; clipping from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, polygons by lines and great circle lines so that portions thereof can be displayed as disjoint entities; projecting from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, geographical coordinates onto a graphic device for the display thereof; providing from data mapped into a specific projection from said data representative of areal and linear features in said computer, inverse transformations from any location on a map from an input of a map location and an input of a transformation defining said specific projection that solves an inverse transformation by a generic method applicable to any azimuthal, conic, cylindrical, and pseudocylinderical projection; and displaying said signal transformations of said establishing, transforming, selecting, determining, processing, clipping, projecting and providing to enable choices of the displayed said signal transformations to allow a designation of said choices of the displayed said signal transformations thereby assuring said selectably displaying of said areal and linear features.
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Specification