Smart loading of map tiles

• US 9,453,734 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUDY, ANGELINA M
• Application Number:
  US13/705,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/411, 701/421, 701/430, 701/452, 701/454, 701/460, 701/461, 701/462, 701/9, 345/428, 345/530, 345/548, 345/557, 345/571, 345/214, 345/211, 345/698, 345/692, 715/815, 715/855, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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, by the mobile device, indicia of a plurality of map tiles along the route;

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

identifying, by the mobile device, a plurality of markers along the route, the plurality of markers being identified based at least in part on road intersections along the route;

for each particular marker of the plurality of markers;

determining whether that particular marker is a decision point where the user is to change course or change roads based on the route,

in response to determining that the particular marker is not a decision point, setting a first specified perimeter around the particular marker,

in response to determining that the particular marker is a decision point, setting a second specified perimeter greater than the first specified perimeter around the particular marker, the second specified perimeter being based at least in part on a type of the decision point, wherein the type of the decision point is one of;

a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway;

or a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and wherein the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway is greater than the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and

identifying map tiles that are at least partially within the perimeter set around the particular marker;

sending, from the mobile device to a map server, a request for the identified map tiles; 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, wherein the plurality of markers are separated by a predetermined distance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a 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.

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

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the minimum amount and the maximum amount 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.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the maximum amount is larger when the mobile device is plugged into an external power source than when the mobile device is not plugged into an external power source.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

increasing the maximum amount in response to determining that the distance traveled along the route is greater than a threshold.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the maximum amount is larger when the network state corresponds to a local area connection than when the network state corresponds to a non-local area network connection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the local area connection is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard.

13. The method of claim 8, 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.

14. 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.

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

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

23. The method of claim 1, wherein types of decision points further include

a point where the user is to change course by changing a mode of transportation.

17. 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 causing performance of operations comprising:

receiving a selection of a route;

identifying indicia of a plurality of map tiles along the route

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

identifying a plurality of markers along the route, the plurality of markers being identified based at least in part on road intersections along the route;

for each particular marker of the plurality of markers;

determining whether that particular marker is a decision point where the user is to change course or change roads based on the route,

in response to determining that the particular marker is not a decision point, setting a first specified perimeter around the particular marker,

in response to determining that the particular marker is a decision point, setting a second specified perimeter greater than the first specified perimeter around the particular marker, the second specified perimeter being based at least in part on a type of the decision point, wherein the type of the decision point is one of;

a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway;

or a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and wherein the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway is greater than the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and

identifying map tiles that are at least partially within the perimeter set around the particular marker;

sending a request for the identified map tiles; and

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

18. The computer product of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

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

19. The computer product of claim 17, wherein a 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.

20. The computer product of claim 17, the operations 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.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the minimum amount and the maximum amount 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.

22. 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;

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

identifying a plurality of markers along the route, the plurality of markers being identified based at least in part on road intersections along the route;

for each particular marker of the plurality of markers;

determining whether that particular marker is a decision point where the user is to change course or change roads based on the route,

in response to determining that the particular marker is not a decision point, setting a first specified perimeter around the particular marker,

in response to determining that the particular marker is a decision point, setting a second specified perimeter greater than the first specified perimeter around the particular marker, the second specified perimeter being based at least in part on a type of the decision point, wherein the type of the decision point is one of;

a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway;

or a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and wherein the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change roads by entering or exiting a freeway is greater than the second specified perimeter around a point where the user is to change course by making a turn at a road intersection, and

identifying map tiles that are at least partially within the perimeter set around the particular marker;

sending, from the mobile device to a map server, a request for the identified map tiles; and

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