Determining means, terminal device, system and method for point label placement on a map
First Claim
1. A method for determining point label placement in a network system wherein a terminal unit requests a point label placement determining device to provide a map display service in a specific display scale via a communication link, and the point label placement determining device sends map information on the specific display scale to the terminal unit for displaying a map, the method comprising:
- determining and saving at least one set of static point label placement results in at least one predetermined scale;
responding to an application by the terminal unit for the display service displaying points and labels on the map, and comparing the specific display scale with at least one predetermined scale;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is identical to a predetermined scale, sending the at least one static point label placement at this predetermined scale to the terminal unit;
if the specific display scale of the terminal unit is different from the at least one predetermined scales of the saved static point label placement, the point label placement determining a device determining new point label placement in the specific display scale of the terminal unit by an incremental point label placement method according to the saved static point label placement results, and sending the determined new point label placement to the terminal unit, wherein;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is different from any predetermined scales of the static point label placements saved in the point label placement determining device, further comprising selecting a maximal predetermined scale in the scales that is smaller than the display scale of the terminal unit, and determining the label placement based on the results of the predetermined point label placement corresponding to the selected predetermined scale by the incremental label placement method;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is smaller than all the predetermined scales saved in the point label placement determining device, further comprising determining the label placement displayed on the terminal unit based on the results of predetermined point label placement corresponding to a smallest predetermined scale.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provides point label placement determining methods, apparatus and systems. A point label placement determining method and system are used in map browsing service based on session mode. In an example embodiment, initial label placement data in a scale is calculated by a static point label determining method. When a user requires a map browsing service, the requirement are met by using an incremental label placement method on the base of said initial label placement data. The incremental point label placement method dramatically reduces the cost for service process. Therefore, the simultaneous requirements of a large number of users can be met. The present invention is successfully used in location based service systems.
40 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for determining point label placement in a network system wherein a terminal unit requests a point label placement determining device to provide a map display service in a specific display scale via a communication link, and the point label placement determining device sends map information on the specific display scale to the terminal unit for displaying a map, the method comprising:
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determining and saving at least one set of static point label placement results in at least one predetermined scale;
responding to an application by the terminal unit for the display service displaying points and labels on the map, and comparing the specific display scale with at least one predetermined scale;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is identical to a predetermined scale, sending the at least one static point label placement at this predetermined scale to the terminal unit;
if the specific display scale of the terminal unit is different from the at least one predetermined scales of the saved static point label placement, the point label placement determining a device determining new point label placement in the specific display scale of the terminal unit by an incremental point label placement method according to the saved static point label placement results, and sending the determined new point label placement to the terminal unit, wherein;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is different from any predetermined scales of the static point label placements saved in the point label placement determining device, further comprising selecting a maximal predetermined scale in the scales that is smaller than the display scale of the terminal unit, and determining the label placement based on the results of the predetermined point label placement corresponding to the selected predetermined scale by the incremental label placement method;
if the display scale of the terminal unit is smaller than all the predetermined scales saved in the point label placement determining device, further comprising determining the label placement displayed on the terminal unit based on the results of predetermined point label placement corresponding to a smallest predetermined scale. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 11)
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5. A system for determining label placement of points on a map, comprising:
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a point label placement determining device;
a terminal unit;
a communication link between the point label placement determining device and the terminal unit;
storage means for storing the data of static point label placement on the whole map on one or more predetermined scales;
comparing means for comparing a display scale of the terminal unit with said predetermined scales;
selecting means for selecting an appropriate predetermined scale as the base for determining incremental label placements; and
incremental label placement determining means for determining the point label placement on the display scale that is different from said predetermined scales, wherein if said comparing means determines that said display scale is identical with one of the predetermined scales, said selecting means selects said one of the predetermined scales;
if said display scale is different from any of the predetermined scales, and there are predetermined scales which are smaller than said display scale, said selecting means selecting the maximal predetermined scale from the predetermined scales that are smaller than said display scale;
otherwise, said selecting means selects the smallest predetermined scale. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 12)
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8. A point label placement determining device, comprising:
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storage means for storing data of static point label placement on a whole map in at least one predetermined scale;
comparing means for comparing a display scale from a terminal unit with said at least one predetermined scale in response to a service request from the terminal unit;
selecting means for selecting an appropriate predetermined scale as a base for determining an incremental point label placement;
incremental label placement determining means for determining the point label placement in a display scale that is different from said at least one predetermined scale, wherein if said comparing means determines that said display scale is identical with one of the at least one predetermined scale, said selecting means selects said one of the at least one predetermined scale;
if said display scale is different from said at least one predetermined scale, and there are predetermined scales which are smaller than said display scale, said selecting means selects a maximal predetermined scale from said at least one predetermined scale being smaller than said display scale;
otherwise, said selecting means selects a smallest predetermined scale. - View Dependent Claims (9, 13)
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Specification