Editable geographic data for maps, and applications thereof

• US 8,510,268 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Eustis, David, Norris, James, Balakrishnan, Ramesh, Smith, Adam, Young, David S., LaForge, Seth, Yee, Kenson, Pan, Guoqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US12/270,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 707/625, 707/661, 707/690, 707/707, 707/724, 707/918, 707/999.001, 701/200, 709/203, 705/344, 726/4
• US Class Current: 707/625
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

The present invention relates to a geographic information system having editable maps. In an embodiment, a system provides editable maps. The system includes an edit layer dataset that stores geocoded data. At least a portion of the edit layer dataset is edited by a user. The system also includes a base layer dataset that includes trusted geocoded data and a moderation module that receives a change in the edit layer dataset. The moderation module determines whether the change is reliable and promotes the change in the edit layer dataset to the base layer dataset if the change is reliable.

Claims

1. A system for providing editable maps, comprising:

an edit layer dataset that includes geocoded data, at least a portion of the edit layer dataset edited by a user;

a base layer dataset that includes trusted geocoded data;

a moderation module configured to be coupled to a processor that receives a change in the edit layer dataset, determines whether the change is reliable, and promotes the change in the edit layer dataset to the base layer dataset after determining that the change has not been modified by another user for a period of time;

a mapping service module configured to display geocoded data obtained from the edit layer dataset differently than geocoded data obtained from the base layer dataset, wherein differences in the displayed geocoded data indicate differences in assessed reliability of the geocoded data;

a trust manager module configured to determine a trust metric for the user indicating the user'"'"'s trustworthiness, wherein the moderation module enables a user to determine whether the change is reliable only if the trust metric of the user exceeds a threshold;

at least one memory unit configured to store at least one of the moderation module, the mapping service module, or the trust manager module; and

at least one computer processor configured to execute at least one of the moderation module, the mapping service module, or the trust manager module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the moderation module enables a user to determine whether the change is reliable.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mapping service module that enables a user to input the change to the edit layer database.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mapping service module provides a simple edit interface and a detailed edit interface that each enable a user to make the change, wherein the detailed edit interface provides more options than the simple edit interface.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the mapping service module enables a user to report abuse.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping service module has a browse mode that enables a user to browse geocoded data on a map and a search mode that enables a user to search for geocoded data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the change to the edit layer dataset is a move, add, edit, or delete of a geocoded feature.

8. A computer-implemented method for providing editable maps, comprising:

(a) receiving, by at least one computer processor, a change to geocoded data in an edit layer dataset;

(b) determining, by at least one computer processor, whether the change is reliable;

(c) promoting, by at least one computer processor, the change to a base layer dataset after determining that the change has not been modified by another user for a period of time, wherein the base layer dataset stores trusted geocoded data;

(d) displaying, by at least one computer processor, geocoded data obtained from the edit layer dataset differently than geocoded data obtained from the base layer dataset, wherein differences in the displayed geocoded data indicate differences in assessed reliability of the geocoded data; and

(e) determining, by at least one computer processor, a trust metric for a user indicating the user'"'"'s trustworthiness, wherein the determining (b) comprises determine whether the change by the user is reliable based on the trust metric.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining (b) comprises enabling a user to determine whether the change is reliable.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(d) enabling a user to make the change to the edit layer database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the enabling (d) comprises

(i) providing a simple edit interface that each enables a user to make the change;

and

(ii) providing a detailed edit interface, wherein the detailed edit interface provides more options than the simple edit interface.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(e) enabling a user to report abuse.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

(d) enabling a user to browse geocoded data on a map; and

(e) enabling a user to search for geocoded data.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the change to the edit layer dataset is a move, add, edit, or delete of a geocoded feature.

15. An apparatus comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoding instructions thereon that, in response to execution by a computing device cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

(a) receiving a change to geocoded data in an edit layer dataset;

(b) determining whether the change is reliable;

(c) promoting the change to a base layer dataset after determining that the change has not been modified by another user for a period of time, wherein the base layer dataset stores trusted geocoded data;

(d) displaying geocoded data obtained from the edit layer dataset differently than geocoded data obtained from the base layer dataset, wherein differences in the displayed geocoded data indicate differences in assessed reliability of the geocoded data; and

(e) determining a trust metric for a user indicating the user'"'"'s trustworthiness, wherein the determining (b) comprises determine whether the change by the user is reliable based on the trust metric.