Rendering a map using style identifiers
First Claim
1. A method in a map server for providing data to a client device for rendering map images at the client device, wherein the client device is coupled to the map server via a communication network, the method comprising:
- receiving, from the client device, a request for map data for generating a first map image at the client device, including receiving a selection of a geographic region and a first map type;
in response to the request for map data, (i) generating a plurality of vector descriptors, wherein each vector descriptor indicates a geometry of a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format, (ii) generating, for each of the plurality of vector descriptors, a respective style identifier that identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered, (iii) causing map data that includes the plurality of vector descriptors and the style identifiers to be transmitted to the client device;
providing a description of first visual characteristics of the identified styles for the first map type to the client device, wherein the client device applies the first visual characteristics to the plurality of vector descriptors to generate the first map image;
subsequently to receiving the request for map data, receiving, from the client device, a request for style data for generating a second map image corresponding to the previously selected geographic region and a second map type; and
in response to receiving the request for the style data, (i) generating a description of second visual characteristics for one or more of the identified styles for the second map type, and (ii) causing the description of second visual characteristics to be transmitted to the client device, wherein the client device applies the second visual characteristics to the plurality of vector descriptors at the client device to generate the second map image.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A map server generates vector descriptors and corresponding style identifiers for rendering a map image. Each vector descriptor indicates a geometry of a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format, and each style identifier identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered. The map server then causes map data including the vector descriptors and the style identifiers to be transmitted to the client device via a communication network. When the map server receives a request for style data for modifying a map image at the client device, the map server generates a description of visual characteristics for one or more styles identified by the style identifiers included in the map data previously provided to the client device and causes the description of visual characteristics to be transmitted to the client device for applying to the vector descriptors at the client device.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method in a map server for providing data to a client device for rendering map images at the client device, wherein the client device is coupled to the map server via a communication network, the method comprising:
-
receiving, from the client device, a request for map data for generating a first map image at the client device, including receiving a selection of a geographic region and a first map type; in response to the request for map data, (i) generating a plurality of vector descriptors, wherein each vector descriptor indicates a geometry of a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format, (ii) generating, for each of the plurality of vector descriptors, a respective style identifier that identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered, (iii) causing map data that includes the plurality of vector descriptors and the style identifiers to be transmitted to the client device; providing a description of first visual characteristics of the identified styles for the first map type to the client device, wherein the client device applies the first visual characteristics to the plurality of vector descriptors to generate the first map image; subsequently to receiving the request for map data, receiving, from the client device, a request for style data for generating a second map image corresponding to the previously selected geographic region and a second map type; and in response to receiving the request for the style data, (i) generating a description of second visual characteristics for one or more of the identified styles for the second map type, and (ii) causing the description of second visual characteristics to be transmitted to the client device, wherein the client device applies the second visual characteristics to the plurality of vector descriptors at the client device to generate the second map image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed on a processor of a client device, cause the processor to:
-
receive, from a user interface, a request to generate a first map image for a selected geographic region corresponding to a first selected map type; generate a request for map data corresponding to the selected geographic region and the first selected map type, cause the request for the map data to be transmitted to a map server via a communication network; receive, from the map server in response to the request for map data, (i) a plurality of vector descriptors that describe respective map elements associated with the selected geographic region, (ii) for each of the plurality of vector descriptors, a respective style identifier that identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered, and (iii) a description of first visual characteristics for the identified styles corresponding to the first selected map type; and generate the first map image using the received plurality of vector descriptors and the received description of first visual characteristics; receive, from the user interface, a request to generate a second map image for the previously selected geographic region corresponding to a second selected map type; generate a request for style data corresponding to the second selected map type and the identified styles; cause the request for style data to be transmitted to the map server via the communication network; receive, from the map server in response to the request for style data, a description of second visual characteristics for the identified styles corresponding to the second selected map type; and generate the second map image using the plurality of vector descriptors and the second description of visual characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method in a map server for providing data to a client device for rendering map images at the client device, wherein the client device is coupled to the map server via a communication network, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of vector descriptors to the client device, wherein each of the plurality of vector descriptors describes a respective map element in accordance with a vector graphics format; providing, for each of the plurality of vector descriptors, a respective style identifier that identifies a style according to which the corresponding map element is rendered, wherein; each style is associated with several sets of visual characteristics, each set corresponding to a different map type, wherein the map type is selected at the client device, and each of the plurality of vector descriptors is rendered at the client device using a corresponding set of visual characteristics selected based on the identified style ad the map type selected by the user; receiving, from the client device, a request for style data, including receiving a plurality of style identifiers and a selection of map type; determining which of the styles identified by the style identifiers included in the request for style data share visual characteristics for the selected map type; and providing the style data to the client device, including; providing a single instance of a description of visual characteristics shared by two or more styles, and providing an indication that the two or more styles share the visual characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification