Expression Interpretation Engine for Digital Map Styling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing software tools are complex and inconvenient for creating and customizing digital maps, limiting the ability to adapt maps for various applications due to limitations in stop functions, which can only reference a single feature property and lack advanced control options like arithmetic or conditional logic.
Innovation Solution
The system divides electronic map data into vector map tiles at multiple zoom levels, allowing for rendering based on map styles that include multiple layers with visual style rules, and provides a user interface with a property editor panel and text fields for applying expressions with pre-programmed functions, logical operations, and color operations to style digital maps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If stop functions are used to define data-driven style properties, then the implementation is simple, but the control capability is limited to single feature property and basic input-output pairs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control capability into multiple independent expression types (arithmetic expressions, conditional expressions, logical expressions, etc.), each handling specific styling needs. This allows the system to provide specialized control for different feature properties without requiring a single complex stop function, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining operational simplicity through modular expression handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the rigid input-output pair structure of stop functions into flexible parameter-based expressions that can reference multiple feature properties simultaneously. By changing from fixed stop points to dynamic expressions with adjustable parameters, the system achieves enhanced control capability over multiple properties while maintaining ease of operation through standardized expression syntax.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple layers are created to use multiple feature properties with stop functions, then the control over multiple properties is achieved, but the complexity of the mapping process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple feature properties into a single layer by allowing expressions to reference multiple properties simultaneously. Instead of requiring separate layers for each property, expressions can combine multiple property references in one styling rule, thereby reducing the number of layers needed and simplifying the overall mapping process while maintaining comprehensive control over multiple properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal expressions that can handle multiple feature properties within a single expression structure. These multi-functional expressions replace the need for multiple specialized stop functions across different layers, providing a unified approach to controlling diverse property combinations and reducing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If pre-existing software tools are used for creating digital maps, then the development process is established, but the ease of customization and adaptation is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service customization by providing users with direct access to expression editing capabilities within the mapping interface. Users can modify expressions to customize map styles without requiring external software tools or complex configuration processes, thereby maintaining the reliability of the established development process while significantly improving ease of customization through user-friendly expression editing.
Data Source
AI summary
A process, and corresponding system for performing the process, is described for editing and representing property values for a digital map. The process stores a library of expressions for styling a digital map. The process retrieves electronic map data and displays a user interface including a property editor panel and a visual map portion. The property editor panel displays a plurality of map styles. The visual map portion displays a representation of the electronic map data. For a selected map style, the process displays a plurality of style properties and a text field for receiving expressions corresponding to a style property. The process receives, via the text field, an expression and determines a set of suggested expressions corresponding to the style property. The process applies the received expression to the electronic map data and renders in the visual map portion an edited representation of the electronic map data.