Map tile data pre-fetching based on mobile device generated event analysis

• US 8,812,031 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: CaveLie, Hans-Olav, Nourse, Thomas Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US13/599,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/457, 370/252, 370/315, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on an analysis of the historical uses of a mapping module at that mobile device. The mobile device may retrieve user mapping activity data and extract geographic location data from the mapping activity data. This geographic location data may then be used to retrieve map tile data that is related to another request for map tile data. This related map tile data may then be stored in cache storage to be retrieved during periods of reduced communication with a map tile server or other periods.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching map tile data to a mobile computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the mobile device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, and the map tile data configured to display a graphic representation of a geographic location at a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving user mapping activity data from the mobile computing device at a user mapping activity system, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the user mapping activity data including one or more of a log of geographic locations corresponding to searches, and routing information for directions between geographic locations represented within maps rendered on the mobile computing device;

extracting geographic location data from the user mapping activity data;

sending the geographic location data to a remote mapping system via a network connection;

matching map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data, the map tile data including portions of a map image having a uniform size;

sending the matched map tile data in a vector format from the remote mapping system to the mobile computing device;

storing the matched map tile data in a cache storage of the mobile computing device; and

retrieving the matched map tile data from the cache storage in response to a subsequent request for map tile data from the mobile computing device for display at the mobile computing device without receiving further communication from the remote mapping system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein extracting geographic location data from the user mapping activity data includes parsing the user mapping activity data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant, wherein relevant geographic location data includes a number of geographic location indications above a threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein sending the geographic location data to the remote mapping system includes sending relevant geographic location data to the remote mapping system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein matching remote mapping system data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data includes matching remote mapping system data to the relevant geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data.

7. A computer system for pre-fetching map tile data to a mobile computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the mobile device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, and the map tile data configured to display a graphic representation of a geographic location at a computing device, the system comprising:

a user mapping activity module executable at a mobile computing device, the user mapping activity module including instructions to receive user mapping activity data and to extract geographic location data from the user mapping activity data, wherein the user mapping activity data corresponds to the web services account and includes one or more of a log of locations corresponding to searches and routing information for directions between geographic locations; and

a remote mapping system including instructions to receive the geographic location data from the user mapping activity module, to match remote mapping system data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data, and to send the matched remote mapping system data to a computing device for cache storage, wherein the matched remote mapping system data includes portions of a map image having a uniform size.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the user mapping activity module includes further instructions to analyze the user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant, the relevant geographic location data including a number of geographic location indications above a threshold.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the user mapping activity module includes further instructions to send relevant geographic location data to the remote mapping system.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the remote mapping system includes further instructions to match remote mapping system data to the relevant geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data.

12. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching map tile data to a mobile computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the mobile device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, the map tile data to display a graphic representation of a geographic location, the method comprising:

generating user mapping activity data, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the mapping activity data including one or more of a log of geographic locations corresponding to searches performed using a mapping module and routing information for directions between geographic locations;

extracting geographic location data from the user mapping activity;

sending the geographic location data to a remote mapping system via a network connection;

matching map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data, the map tile data including portions of a map image having a uniform size;

sending the matched map tile data to the mobile computing device in a vector format;

storing the matched map tile data in a cache storage of the mobile computing device; and

subsequently retrieving the matched map tile data from the cache storage for display at the mobile computing device without receiving further communication from the remote mapping system.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising analyzing the extracted user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant, the relevant geographic location data including a number of geographic location indications above a threshold, wherein sending the geographic location data to the remote mapping system includes sending relevant geographic location data to the remote mapping system and matching map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user activity data includes matching map tile data to the relevant geographic location data extracted from the user activity data.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for pre-fetching map tile data to a mobile computing device based on user activity with a mapping module executing on the mobile device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

generate user mapping activity data, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the mapping activity data including one or more of a log of geographic locations corresponding to searches performed using the mapping module and routing information for directions between geographic locations;

extract geographic location data from the user mapping activity data;

send the geographic location data to a remote mapping system via a network connection;

match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data, the map tile data including portions of a map image having a uniform size;

send the matched map tile data to the mobile computing device in a vector format;

store the matched map tile data in a cache storage of the mobile computing device; and

subsequently retrieve the matched map tile data from the cache storage for display at the mobile computing device without receiving further communication from the remote mapping system.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

17. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions to analyze the user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant, the relevant geographic location data including a number of geographic location indications above a threshold, wherein the instructions to send the geographic location data to the remote mapping system include instructions to send relevant geographic location data to the remote mapping system and the instructions to match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user activity data include instructions to match map tile data to the relevant geographic location data extracted from the user activity data.