Method and apparatus to present three-dimensional mapping

• US 9,200,903 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahn, Philippe Richard, Kinsolving, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US12/941,001
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3673 Labelling using text of road map data items, e.g. road names, POI names
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures

Abstract

A method or apparatus to provide a map display is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining map tiles, a combination of the map tiles forming a two-dimensional flat map image;

displaying a map image of a perspective skewed map, the perspective skewed map image generated from the two-dimensional flat map image, the perspective skewed map including a plurality of streets;

displaying street signs with street names for a first subset of the streets shown on the map, the street signs displayed only for the first subset of streets that are directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location and are along the user'"'"'s path, and a second subset of streets that are not directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location, including streets behind the user'"'"'s current location, do not have the street signs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the map includes an indication of the user'"'"'s current location, and the user'"'"'s current location is defined by one or more of:

a global positioning system, a network location system, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a path from a first location to a second location for the user, wherein the user'"'"'s path is defined by a route selected by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s path is defined by a direction in which the user is facing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the direction in which the user is facing is determined based on one or more of:

a global positioning system, a map orientation, a network location system, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a pressure sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the map further comprises:

displaying a visual map including plurality of streets associated with a segment of the map shown to the user, the plurality of streets having no names displayed upon them.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the map tiles forming the two-dimensional flat map image are sourced from a plurality of sources of flat map tiles, such that the flat map image includes data from at least two sources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the source is selected from among a plurality of providers based on one or more of:

a resolution, a size, a cost, and a date of last update.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

normalizing the flat map images from the plurality of sources, for a uniform scale, uniform resolution, and uniform image format.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the map tiles and vector data; and

reconciling the map image and the vector data to ensure that the information represented by the map image and the vector data matches.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a route between a first position and a second position;

calculating a reverse route;

comparing the route and the reverse route, and adjusting the route based on information from the reverse route.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an image with mapping data;

receiving a scale;

generating one or more map tiles based on the image; and

generating one or more perspective skewed map tiles based on the one or more map tiles.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising using the image with the mapping data to generate vector data.

14. A mapping application comprising, on a display screen displaying data generated by a processor, the generated data comprising:

a map image of a perspective skewed map, the perspective skewed map image generated by the processor from one or more two-dimensional map tiles to give the appearance of three-dimensionality, the map image showing a plurality of streets;

street signs with street names for a subset of the plurality of streets shown on the map image, the street signs displayed for the subset of streets directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location and along the user'"'"'s path, such that a second subset of the plurality of streets that are not directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location, including streets behind the user, are shown on the map image and have no street signs.

15. The mapping application of claim 14, wherein the map includes an indication of the user'"'"'s current location, and the user'"'"'s current location is defined by one or more of:

a global positioning system, a network location system, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and a pressure sensor.

16. The mapping application of claim 14, further comprising:

a path from a first location to a second location for the user, wherein the user'"'"'s path is defined by a route selected by the user, and a direction in which the user is facing, determined based on one or more of;

a global positioning system, a map orientation, a network location system, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a pressure sensor.

17. A mapping system comprising:

a map data acquisition logic to acquire two-dimensional map data;

a skewer to skew the two-dimensional map data to generate a perspective skewed map to provide an appearance of three-dimensionality from the two-dimensional map data;

a street sign placer to select a subset of streets on the perspective skewed map for which street signs are shown on the perspective skewed map, the street sign placer to select based on a current location and route of a user, the selection comprising the subset of streets that are directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location and along the user'"'"'s route, such that a second subset of streets shown on the perspective skewed map that are not directly accessible from the user'"'"'s current location, including streets behind the user'"'"'s current location have no street signs.

18. The mapping system of claim 17, wherein the two-dimensional map data is made up of a plurality of flat map tiles, the flat map tiles sourced from a plurality of sources, such that that the perspective skewed map includes map tiles from at least two sources.

19. The mapping system of claim 18, wherein the source is selected from among a plurality of providers based on one or more of:

a resolution, a size, a cost, and a date of last update.

20. The mapping system of claim 18, further comprising:

a normalizer to normalize the two-dimensional map data to a uniform scale, uniform resolution, and uniform image format, prior to passing the two-dimensional map data to the skewer.

21. The mapping system of claim 17, further comprising:

the map data acquisition logic further to obtain vector data associated with the two-dimensional map data; and

a mapper to reconcile the two-dimensional map data and the vector data to ensure that the information represented by the two-dimensional map data and the vector data matches.

22. The mapping system of claim 17, further comprising:

a router to calculate a route between a first position and a second position and to calculate a reverse route;

a reverse route logic to compare the route and the reverse route, and to adjust the route based on information from the reverse route.

23. The mapping system of claim 17, further comprising:

the map data acquisition logic to receive an image with mapping data and a scale associated with the image;

a flat map processor to generate one or more map tiles based on the image; and

the skewer to generate one or more perspective skewed map tiles based on the one or more map tiles.

24. The mapping system of claim 23, further comprising using the image with the mapping data to generate vector data.