Dynamic location-based mapping system and method

• US 7,688,227 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: He, YiYi, Lemay, Matthew C., Hao, Jianxiu, Tosun, Serkan
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/096,107
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.1, 340/539.2, 701208-212, 455/456.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 340/995.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker

Abstract

A graphical mapping system configured to display mapping information on a handheld device is disclosed. The system includes an image map database configured to store map data for a plurality of geographic areas, which is useful for generating graphical maps. The system further includes a vector map database configured to store vector map data, which is useful for generating vector “overlays” that correspond to the graphical maps. In response to a mapping request from a handheld device, a set of image mapping data and a corresponding set of vector mapping data, both associated with a given geographic location, are retrievable.

Claims

1. A graphical mapping system configured to display mapping information on a handheld device, said system comprising:

an image map database configured to store map data for a plurality of geographic areas, said map data being useful for generating graphical maps;

a vector map database configured to store vector map data, said vector map data being useful for generating vector overlays that correspond to said graphical maps, said vector map data being selectively displayed on the handheld device based on a position of a cursor over said graphical map;

a set of image congestion avoidance heuristics configured to dynamically optimize an amount of mapping information displayed on said handheld device based on a requested zoom level; and

wherein a set of image mapping data and a corresponding set of vector mapping data, both associated with a given geographic location, are retrievable in response to a mapping request from the handheld device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a proxy server in communication with said image map database and said vector map database, said proxy server being configured to receive a mapping request from the handheld device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said proxy server is configured to identify the handheld device making the mapping request.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a handheld device database that is accessible to said proxy server, said handheld device database having information relating to display screen capabilities for a plurality of handheld devices.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein at least said set of image mapping data associated with a given geographic location is partially dependent upon the identity of the handheld device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one database of directory information associated with geographic locations, said at least one directory data base being in communication with a proxy server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said mapping request is a wireless signal.

8. A method of providing mapping information to a handheld device:

sending a mapping request to a first server from the handheld device, the mapping request relating to a particular geographic location;

determining a format in which to provide the mapping information to the handheld device;

generating a set of image map data and a corresponding set of vector map data associated with said geographic location;

applying a set of image congestion avoidance heuristics configured to dynamically optimize an amount of mapping information displayed on said handheld device based on a requested zoom level; and

sending the set of image map data and said corresponding set of vector map data from said first server to the handheld device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving directory information relating to said geographic location.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of identifying the handheld device sending the mapping request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of identifying the handheld device includes determining display capabilities of the handheld device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said display capabilities are accessed from a database correlating various handheld devices to associated display capabilities.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least said image map data is generated so that a map image generated from said image map data is optimized for said display capabilities of the handheld device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least said set of image map data is partially dependent upon the identity of the handheld device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of identifying the handheld device comprises extracting device information from the mapping request.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of identifying the handheld device comprises deducing the type of the handheld device based upon the nature of the mapping request.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said mapping request is a wireless signal.

18. A method of displaying mapping information on a display screen of a handheld device, comprising the steps:

sending a mapping request to a location-based mapping system;

receiving an image map data set and a vector map data set from said mapping system;

generating a static map image on the display screen based upon said image map data set, wherein information from said vector map data set is correlated to, but not displayed on, said static map image, said image map data and said vector map data are displayed according to a set of image congestion avoidance heuristics configured to dynamically optimize an amount of mapping information displayed on said handheld device based on a requested zoom level; and

displaying said vector map data in response to a position of a cursor over said static map image.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein information from said vector map data set is dynamically displayable.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said information from said vector map data set is displayable in a text box.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein information from said vector map data set corresponding to a geographic location identified by a navigatable pointer on said static map image is displayed.

22. A handheld device for displaying a graphical map, comprising:

a display screen; and

software configured to receive a set of image map data and a set of vector map data, said software being further configured to generate a static map image on said display screen from said image map data and to selectively display data from said vector map data set based on a position of a cursor on said static map image;

wherein said image map data and said vector map data include image congestion avoidance heuristics configured to dynamically optimize an amount of mapping information displayed on the handheld device based on a requested zoom level.

23. The handheld device of claim 22, wherein said position is determined by the location of a user-navigatable pointer on the map image.

24. The handheld device of claim 22, further comprising a wireless receiver configured to receive said image map data set and said vector map data set in the form of wireless signals.