Geospatial Data Partitioning for Spherical Coordinate Distortion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spatial partitioning schemes for geographic information systems, particularly those dealing with spherical or near-spherical objects like planets, face challenges in accurately representing data around the poles due to distortions and compression, leading to reduced image quality and tessellation issues.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical spatial partitioning scheme that divides geospatial data into discrete volumes along surfaces of constant altitude in a spherical coordinate system, using a tritree partitioning method near the poles to maintain aspect ratios and improve data representation, and stores this data in a hierarchical tree structure for efficient retrieval and rendering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flat latitude/longitude equirectangular projection is used to map geospatial data to a spherical surface, then the data can be stored in a simple 2D structure, but tessellation problems occur in areas adjacent to the poles resulting in reduced image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the spherical surface into multiple spherical coordinate systems (SCS) centered at different locations, including the poles. Each SCS handles a specific region independently, allowing the pole areas to be represented with high precision using a different coordinate system than the equatorial regions. This segmentation resolves the tessellation problems while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different coordinate system representations to different regions of the spherical surface. Polar regions use a spherical coordinate system centered at the pole, while equatorial regions use a standard equirectangular projection. This local differentiation ensures that each region is represented with the appropriate quality and geometry for its specific location.
2Productivity
If geospatial data is spatially partitioned into manageable pieces for rendering only visible portions, then processing efficiency improves, but complex spatial partitioning is required to handle spherical geometry accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spherical surface into multiple spherical coordinate systems, each handling a specific region. This allows the visible portion to be efficiently determined and rendered using the appropriate SCS, improving processing efficiency while keeping the partitioning logic manageable through systematic division of the spherical surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical structure that adds a third dimension to the traditional 2D equirectangular projection by incorporating spherical coordinate systems. This dimensional change enables more accurate representation of spherical geometry while maintaining efficient processing through hierarchical organization of spatial data.
3Productivity
If a hierarchical spatial partitioning scheme is used to organize geospatial data, then data retrieval and rendering efficiency improves, but the complexity of implementing and maintaining the hierarchical structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hierarchical structure into multiple spherical coordinate systems, each managing a specific region of the spherical surface. This segmentation allows for efficient data retrieval and rendering within each region while distributing the complexity across manageable subsystems rather than a monolithic hierarchical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses spherical coordinate systems that naturally conform to the curvature of the Earth, eliminating the need for complex transformations between Cartesian and spherical coordinates. This inherent geometric compatibility simplifies the hierarchical structure by using coordinate systems that naturally match the underlying spherical geometry.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for storing and retrieving geospatial data in a geographic information system are provided. Geospatial data can be spatially partitioned along axes of a spherical coordinate system associated with a virtual globe or other spheroid into a plurality of discrete geospatial volumes pursuant to a hierarchical spatial partitioning scheme. For instance, geospatial data can be spatially partitioned into geospatial volumes along surfaces of constant latitude, longitude, and altitude defined by the spherical coordinate system. The discrete geospatial volumes can be stored as nodes in a hierarchical tree data structure. Additional methods are provided for portioning geospatial objects, such as tiles or discrete geospatial volumes, in tritree to reduce polar distortions.