Map tile data pre-fetching based on mobile device generated event analysis

• US 9,245,046 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Nourse, Thomas Gregory, CaveLie, Hans-Olav
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhattacharya, Sam
• Application Number:
  US14/313,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/457, 370/252, 370/315, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3881 Tile-based structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on an analysis of the historical uses of a mapping module at that device. A user mapping activity module executing on the mobile device may retrieve user mapping activity data. The module may then extract geographic location data from the user mapping activity data and send the extracted data to a mapping system via a network connection. The mapping system may then match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data and send the matched data to the mobile computing device for cache storage at the mobile computing device. The user mapping activity module may also analyze the user mapping activity data to determine whether the extracted geographic location data is relevant enough to warrant pre-fetching the tile data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching map tile data to a first computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the first computing device or a second computing device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, and the map tile data configured to display a graphic representation of a geographic location at one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device, the method comprising:

receiving user mapping activity data from the first computing device or the second computing device at a server via a network connection, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the user mapping activity data including geographic locations represented within maps rendered on one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

matching, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data; and

sending the matched map tile data in a vector format from the server to one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

wherein both the first computing device and the second computing are configured to;

store the matched map tile data in a cache storage; and

retrieve the matched map tile data from the cache storage in response to a subsequent request for map tile data from either the first computing device or the second computing device for display at the first computing device or the second computing device without receiving further communication from the server.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein matching, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data includes parsing the user mapping activity data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing the user mapping activity data to determine if the indicated geographic location data is relevant, wherein relevant geographic location data includes a number of geographic location indications above a threshold.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein receiving the user mapping activity data at the server includes receiving relevant geographic location data at the server.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein matching, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data includes matching remote mapping system data to the relevant geographic location data.

7. A computer system for pre-fetching map tile data to a first computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the first computing device or a second computing device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, and the map tile data configured to display a graphic representation of a geographic location at one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memories in communication with the one or more processors and storing instructions for execution on the one or more processors to;

receive user mapping activity data from the first computing device or the second computing device at a server via a network connection, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the user mapping activity data including geographic locations represented within maps rendered on one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

match, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data; and

send the matched map tile data in a vector format from the server to one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

wherein both the first computing device and the second computing are configured to;

store the matched map tile data in a cache storage; and

retrieve the matched map tile data from the cache storage in response to a subsequent request for map tile data from either the first computing device or the second computing device for display at the first computing device or the second computing device without receiving further communication from the server.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

9. The computer system of claim 8, including further instructions to analyze the user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant, the relevant geographic location data including a number of geographic location indications above a threshold.

10. The computer system of claim 9, including further instructions to receive relevant geographic location data at the server.

11. The computer system of claim 10, including further instructions to match remote mapping system data to the relevant geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for pre-fetching map tile data to a first computing device based on activity with a mapping module executing on the first computing device or a second computing device, the mapping module corresponding to a web services account, and the map tile data configured to display a graphic representation of a geographic location at one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device, the instructions to:

receive user mapping activity data from the first computing device or the second computing device at a server via a network connection, the user mapping activity data corresponding to the web services account and indicating a geographic location, the user mapping activity data including geographic locations represented within maps rendered on one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

match, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data; and

send the matched map tile data in a vector format from the server to one or more of the first computing device or the second computing device;

wherein both the first computing device and the second computing are configured to;

store the matched map tile data in a cache storage; and

retrieve the matched map tile data from the cache storage in response to a subsequent request for map tile data from either the first computing device or the second computing device for display at the first computing device or the second computing device without receiving further communication from the server.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the geographic location data includes one or more of a city name, an address, an airport code, or global positioning system coordinates.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, including further instructions to analyze the extracted user mapping activity data to determine if the extracted geographic location data is relevant.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the relevant geographic location data includes a number of geographic location indications above a threshold.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions to receive user mapping activity data from the first computing device or the second computing device at the server via the network connection includes instructions to receive relevant geographic location data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instruction to match, at the server, map tile data to the user mapping activity data includes instructions to match map tile data to the relevant geographic location data.