Comprehensive mapping data structures and methods for using the same

• US 7,089,109 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Crawford, Julia M., Bryar, Norm, Lang, Christopher Jon, McGrath, Timothy S., Byrne, Aiden, Antonio, Michael J., Vance, Amos Dylan
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/662,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/206, 701/207, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213, 455/457, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 340/988, 340/993, 340/995, 3409951-99527
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures

Abstract

A location data structure represents a location in a number of different ways, and may include a map view scale appropriate for rending the map. A map view data structure contains sufficient information to derive a number of independent descriptions of a map view. A route data structure may be used at any point in the route calculation and rendering process, and includes a locations field that includes the two-end points of the route, a calculated route data field representing a calculated route between the two end-points, an options field that specifies the options used or to be used to calculate the route, a driving directions field that represents driving directions for the route, and an identity data field that specifies whether the route data structure is a request to calculate a route, a response to a route calculation request, or a rendering request.

Claims

1. In a computing system capable of calculating routes between two locations in response to a request from a requesting computing system, a method for calculating the route in a manner that informs the requesting computing system of what options were used to calculate the route, the method comprising the following:

an act of receiving a request to calculate a route from a requesting computing system, the request including a routing data structure;

an act of determining what options are to be used to calculate the route, wherein the options includes at least one of a snap type and a route type;

an act of calculating the route using the options;

an act of populating the routing data structure with the calculate route;

an act of populating the routing data structure with the options; and

an act of returning the routing data structure with the route and the options to the requesting computing system.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the route type and the route type is the quickest route.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the route type and the route type is the shortest route.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the snap type and the snap type is a road snap.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the snap type and the snap type is a highway or town snap type.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the route type and the route type is specified in the request.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the options include the route type and the route type is not specified in the request.