Navigation API based on virtual tables

• US 9,976,859 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pfeifle, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/835,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20170059330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2219 Large Object storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided which receive requests for map data, and generate virtual tables for accessing underlying navigational map data. Navigational functionality may be offered through structured query language (SQL) commands for all kinds of navigation data by the use of virtual tables. By offering functionality through SQL commands map developers benefit because there is no difference in accessing low-level data of the navigation database and higher-level functionality such as displaying map components. The commands used to send information to the graphic user interface, the navigation core, as well as the data access layer may all be accessed using virtual tables and SQL commands.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by use of a communication device, a request for navigation data from a mobile device, the request having a type;

determining, by a processor coupled with the communication device, the type of the request, wherein the type of request is (a) a display request, (b) a route request, (c) a name request, or (d) some combination thereof;

generating, by the processor responsive to receipt of the request, a query;

generating, by the processor responsive to receipt of the query, a virtual table, the virtual table generated based on (a) one or more parameters determined based on the determined type of the request from the mobile device and (b) a navigation database, coupled with the processor, in which a set of navigation data is stored, the generated virtual table comprising at least a subset of the set of navigation data stored in the navigation database and independent from schema of the navigation database, the subset being determined by the determined type of the request, the generated virtual table and the navigation database being accessible via a same query format;

querying, by the processor using the query format, the virtual table based on the request for navigation data to obtain the requested navigation data therefrom;

constructing, by the processor, a map tile command based on the obtained navigation data; and

sending, by the communication device, the map tile command to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display request further includes a tile render request, a region render request, a tile vector request, or some combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the route request further includes a route computation request, a link attribute request, or some combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, where the name request further includes a place name request, a next valid character request, or some combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the query format comprises a format compatible with structured query language (SQL).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation database may be a database only accessible by a single navigation system, a database accessible by a plurality of navigation systems, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation data may be text, image files, or binary large objects.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual table is destroyed after the map tile command is sent to the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation data is stored in a navigation database standard (NDS) database, a proprietary database, or some combination thereof.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform;

receive a request for map route data, the request having a type;

determine the type of the request, wherein the type of request is (a) a display request, (b) a route request, (c) a name request, or (d) some combination thereof;

generate a structured query based on the request;

generate a virtual table in response to the structured query, the virtual table generated based on (a) one or more parameters determined based on the type of the request and (b) map route data stored in a navigation database coupled with the processor, the generated virtual table comprises at least a subset of map route data stored in the navigation database but is not part of the schema of the navigation database, the constructed virtual table and the navigation database being accessible via a same query format;

query the virtual table using the request for map route data in the query format to obtain the requested map route data therefrom; and

generate a map command based on the obtained map route data in the virtual table corresponding to the request for map route data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display request further includes a tile render request, a region render request, a tile vector request, or some combination thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the route request further includes a route computation request, a link attribute request, or some combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, where the name request further includes a place name request, a next valid character request, or some combination thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the navigation database may be a database only accessible by the apparatus, a database accessible by a plurality of apparatuses, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the data is stored in a navigation database standard (NDS) database, a proprietary database, or some combination thereof.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed are operable to:

receive a request for map navigation data from a mobile device, the request having a type;

determine the type of the request, wherein the type of request is (a) a display request, (b) a route request, (c) a name request, or (d) some combination thereof;

generate a structured query based on the request;

generate a virtual table in response to the structured query, the virtual table generated based on (a) one or more parameters determined based on the type of the request and map navigation data stored in a navigation database, wherein the generated virtual table comprises at least a subset of map navigation data from the navigation database, the generated virtual table and the route database being accessible via a same query format;

access the virtual table using the request for navigation data to obtain the requested map navigation data;

construct a map tile command based on the obtained map navigation data in the virtual table corresponding to the request for map navigation data; and

send the map tile command to the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the virtual table is generated with data from databases stored on a network connected to the non-transitory computer readable medium, data from databases stored on a separate network, or some combination thereof.