Solution for highly customized interactive mobile maps

• US 9,672,224 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Urban Engines, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Popescu, Catalin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chu, David H
• Application Number:
  US14/657,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20150262399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3878 Hierarchical structures, e.g. layering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

A map customization module builds a customized map for a user based on the user'"'"'s interest and historical activities. A database stores processed map data including layer data, element data and/or tile data related to maps. The map customization module obtains the necessary processed map data from the database and combines the map data with the user'"'"'s interests to generate a customized map. The map customization module recognizes the user'"'"'s interests based on explicit user input and/or implicit user input.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing tile data, the method comprising:

collecting, using one or more processors, map data describing a map from a variety of resources;

determining, using a current time local to a client device and a current compass heading of the client device, that a user of the client device is interested in a map that showing public transportation routes in a direction specified by the compass heading;

separating, using the one or more processors, the map data into multiple sets of layer data describing multiple layers of the map, including generating a layer including public transportation systems in the direction specified by the compass heading;

dividing, using the one or more processors, each set of layer data into multiple sets of element data describing individual elements in each layer of the map;

dividing, using the one or more processors, each set of layer data into multiple sets of tile data, each set of tile data describing a tile of the each layer of the map, each tile including one or more segments of the individual elements; and

providing, using the one or more processors, the tile data for display on the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a contour of one individual element based on the element data; and

triangulating the contour of the individual element using a triangulation algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the tile data is responsive to a query for the tile data from a client device.

4. A computer-implemented method for rendering a customized map to a user, the method comprising:

receiving, using one or more processors, a user input requesting the customized map from the user for display on a client device;

determining, using a sensor, a current compass heading of the client device;

determining, using the one or more processors, a current time local to the client device;

determining, using the one or more processors, user interest associated with the customized map based on implicit user input inferred from the current compass heading, the user interest corresponding to public transportation in a direction specified by the compass heading;

querying, using the one or more processors, for data to build the customized map based on the user interest, including querying for public transportation routes that correspond to the direction specified by the compass heading;

receiving, using the one or more processors, the queried data;

building, using the one or more processors, the customized map using the queried data; and

rendering, using the one or more processors, the customized map to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the customized map includes visualization of one or more tiles of a certain layer of the map.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising retrieving user information related to the customized map, wherein determining the user interest is also based on the user information.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising retrieving context information related to the customized map, wherein determining the user interest is also based on the context information.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein rendering the customized map comprises providing a transparent view of the customized map overlaid on a view captured by a camera.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the user interest further includes determining that the user is interesting in seeing a nearby bus stop.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the user further includes determining that a certain subway line is of a default interest to the user, based on the user'"'"'s historical activities.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising querying for the public transportation routes running within a current time slot.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for rendering a customized map to a user, the instructions when executed by a processor configured to cause the processor to:

receive a user input requesting the customized map from the user for display on a client device;

determine, using a sensor, a current compass heading of the client device;

determine a current time local to the client device;

determine user interest associated with the customized map based on implicit user input inferred from the current compass heading, the user interest corresponding to public transportation in a direction specified by the compass heading;

query for data to build the customized map based on the user interest, including query for public transportation routes that correspond to the direction specified by the compass heading;

receive the queried data;

build the customized map using the queried data; and

render the customized map to the user.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the customized map includes visualization of one or more tiles of a certain layer of the map.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to retrieve user information related to the customized map, wherein determining the user interest is also based on the user information.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to retrieve context information related to the customized map, wherein determining the user interest is also based on the context information.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein rendering the customized map comprises providing a transparent view of the customized map overlaid on a view captured by a camera.

17. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a map customization module executing on the processor and configured to;

receive a user input requesting the customized map from the user for display on a client device;

determine, using a sensor, a current compass heading of the client device;

determine a current time local to the client device;

determine user interest associated with the customized map based on implicit user input inferred from the current compass heading, the user interest corresponding to public transportation in a direction specified by the compass heading;

query for data to build the customized map based on the user interest, including query for public transportation routes that correspond to the direction specified by the compass heading;

receive the queried data;

build the customized map using the queried data; and

render the customized map to the user.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the customized map includes visualization of one or more tiles of a certain layer of the map.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the map customization module is further configured to retrieve user information related to the customized map, wherein determining the user interest is also based on the user information.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein rendering the customized map comprises providing a transparent view of the customized map overlaid on a view captured by a camera.