SMART LOADING OF MAP TILES

• US 20130325317A1
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pylappan, Seejo K., Howard, James A., Moore, Bradford A., Blumenberg, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,453,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/409
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/005 Map projections or methods associated specifically therewith

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for displaying a portion of a map on a mobile device of a user while the user is traveling along a route. The mobile device can use a selected route and a current location of the device to load map tiles for parts of the map that are upcoming along the route. In this manner, the user can have quick access to the portions of the map that the user likely will want to view. For example, the map tiles can be loaded for the next 50 Km, and then when the stored tiles reaches only 25 Km ahead, another 25 Km of tiles can be retrieved. The amount of tiles loaded (e.g., minimum and maximum amounts) can vary based on a variety of factors, such as network state, distance traveled along the route, and whether the mobile device is charging.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a portion of a map on a mobile device of a user while the user is traveling along a route, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device, a selection of a route;

identifying indicia of a plurality of map tiles along the route, wherein the identified map tiles are not within a currently selected view of the map being displayed on a display of the mobile device, the identifying being performed by an application executing on a processor of the mobile device;

identifying a location of the mobile device relative to the route;

sending, from the mobile device to a map server, a request for the identified map tiles, wherein the request is sent in response to less than a minimum amount of map tiles, corresponding to the route remaining to be traveled, being stored in memory of the mobile device; and

receiving, at the mobile device from the map server, the requested map tiles for displaying on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of markers along the route;

determining a perimeter around each marker; and

identifying map tiles that are at least partially within the perimeter of each marker.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the markers include decision points along the route, and wherein the perimeter around a decision point is larger than the perimeter around other markers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the markers are separated by a predetermined distance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the received map tiles to render an image of a portion of the map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the map tiles are obtained for a predetermined resolution of the map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of map tiles identified and requested is variable and depends on at least one of:

a charging state of the mobile device, a network state, and a distance traveled along the route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum amount of map tiles to be stored for the remaining route is specified as a distance.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the minimum amount of stored map tiles is reached, sending a request for additional map tiles, the additional map tiles covering the route to be traveled up until a maximum amount of map tiles are stored.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the minimum amount and/or the maximum amount are variable and depend on at least one of:

a charging state of the mobile device, a network state, and a distance traveled along the route.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the maximum amount is larger when the mobile device is charging than when the mobile device is not being charged.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the maximum amount increases when the distance traveled along the route is larger becomes greater than a threshold.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the maximum amount is larger when the network state corresponds to a local area connection than when the network state corresponds to a radio connection.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the local area connection is a IEEE 802.11 standard.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the maximum amount is larger when the network state corresponds to a higher bandwidth than when the network state corresponds to a lower bandwidth.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified location includes one of:

not started route or a specific distance traveled along the route from a start of the route.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia include indexes of map tiles.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicia include a specification of the route.

19. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed control a processor to display a portion of a map on a mobile device of a user while the user is traveling along a route, the instructions comprising:

receiving a selection of a route;

identifying indicia of a plurality of map tiles along the route, wherein the identified map tiles are not within a currently selected view of the map being displayed on a display of the mobile device;

identifying a location of the mobile device relative to the route;

sending a request for the identified map tiles, wherein the request is sent in response to less than a minimum amount of map tiles, corresponding to the route remaining to be traveled, being stored in memory of the mobile device; and

receiving the requested map tiles for displaying on the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of markers along the route;

determining a perimeter around each marker; and

identifying map tiles that are at least partially within the perimeter of each marker.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

using the received map tiles to render an image of a portion of the map.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the number of map tiles identified and requested is variable and depends on at least one of:

a charging state of the mobile device, a network state, and a distance traveled along the route.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

when the minimum amount of stored map tiles is reached, sending a request for additional map tiles, the additional map tiles covering the route to be traveled up until a maximum amount of map tiles are stored.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the minimum amount and/or the maximum amount are variable and depend on at least one of:

a charging state of the mobile device, a network state, and a distance traveled along the route.

25. An electronic device for displaying a portion of a map on a mobile device of a user while the user is traveling along a route, the electronic device comprising:

an input for receiving a selection of a route;

a storage subsystem that stores map tiles;

a network interface for communicating over a network with a map server that stores map tiles; and

a processing subsystem configured to execute a map application by;

identifying indicia of a plurality of map tiles along the route, wherein the identified map tiles are not within a currently selected view of the map being displayed on a display of the mobile device;

identifying a location of the mobile device relative to the route;

sending, from the mobile device to a map server, a request for the identified map tiles, wherein the request is sent in response to less than a minimum amount of map tiles, corresponding to the route remaining to be traveled, being stored in the storage subsystem of the mobile device; and

receiving, at the mobile device from the map server, the requested map tiles for displaying on the mobile device.