Map storage for navigation systems
First Claim
1. A method of preparing map information for use for displaying maps on a mapping or navigation apparatus, the method comprising:
- receiving initial map information representing a map or maps to be displayed;
performing, by a processor, a similarity analysis, the similarity analysis comprising analyzing map features within the initial map information to determine whether similarities exist between the map features based on shape and appearance when displaying the initial map information to identify one or more similarities within the initial map information;
reducing, by the processor, the initial map information to generate reduced initial map information, the reducing comprising;
selecting, based on the similarity analysis, one or more predefined map display elements, each predefined map display element being a shape template representing a corresponding shape to be displayed on a map constructed using the predefined map display element; and
replacing, based on the similarity analysis, at least one selected map feature from the initial map information with a reference to the corresponding predefined map display element and one or more parameters, wherein the one or more parameters comprise an indication of a transformation to be applied to the corresponding predefined map display element when the corresponding predefined map display element is displayed;
the reduced initial map information being a further representation of the map or maps to be displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
When preparing a representation of map display information for use by a navigation device, a set of source map data (600) is subject to a similarity analysis step (601) to try to identify elements in the source map data (600) that are similar in terms of their shape and/or their appearance when displayed. A classification and transformation parameter generation step (602) then classifies elements in the map into groups of similar elements as determined by the similarity analysis (601) and also determines the parameters and conditions under which the identified map elements can be considered to be similar. This is then used to generate a map database that includes a library of predefined map display elements having parametrable aspects, which map display elements can then be used to construct a desired map for display.
15 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of preparing map information for use for displaying maps on a mapping or navigation apparatus, the method comprising:
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receiving initial map information representing a map or maps to be displayed; performing, by a processor, a similarity analysis, the similarity analysis comprising analyzing map features within the initial map information to determine whether similarities exist between the map features based on shape and appearance when displaying the initial map information to identify one or more similarities within the initial map information; reducing, by the processor, the initial map information to generate reduced initial map information, the reducing comprising; selecting, based on the similarity analysis, one or more predefined map display elements, each predefined map display element being a shape template representing a corresponding shape to be displayed on a map constructed using the predefined map display element; and replacing, based on the similarity analysis, at least one selected map feature from the initial map information with a reference to the corresponding predefined map display element and one or more parameters, wherein the one or more parameters comprise an indication of a transformation to be applied to the corresponding predefined map display element when the corresponding predefined map display element is displayed; the reduced initial map information being a further representation of the map or maps to be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for preparing map information for use for displaying maps on a mapping or navigation apparatus, the system comprising:
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a processor; a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is operable to; perform a similarity analysis, the similarity analysis comprising analyzing map features within the initial map information to determine whether similarities exist between the map features based on shape and appearance when displaying initial map information representing a map or maps to be displayed to identify one or more similarities within the initial map information; reduce the initial map information to generate reduced initial map information, the reducing comprising; selecting, based on the similarity analysis, one or more predefined map display elements, each predefined map display element being a shape template representing a corresponding shape to be displayed on a map constructed using the predefined map display element; and replacing, based on the similarity analysis, at least one selected map feature from the initial map information with a reference to the corresponding predefined map display element and one or more parameters, wherein the one or more parameters comprise an indication of a transformation to be applied to the corresponding predefined map display element when the corresponding predefined map display element is displayed; the reduced initial map information being a further representation of the map or maps to be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer readable medium program comprising computer readable instructions executable to perform a method comprising:
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receiving initial map information representing a map or maps to be displayed; performing a similarity analysis, the similarity analysis comprising analyzing map features within the initial map information to determine whether similarities exist between the map features based on shape and appearance when displaying the initial map information to identify one or more similarities within the initial map information; reducing the initial map information to generate reduced initial map information, the reducing comprising; selecting, based on the similarity analysis, one or more predefined map display elements, each predefined map display element being a shape template representing a corresponding shape to be displayed on a map constructed using the predefined map display element; and replacing, based on the similarity analysis, at least one selected map feature from the initial map information with a reference to corresponding predefined map display element and one or more parameters, wherein the one or more parameters comprise an indication of a transformation to be applied to the corresponding predefined map display element when the corresponding predefined map display element is displayed; the reduced initial map information being a further representation of the map or maps to be displayed. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification