GIS Markup Language for Conditional Data Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional geographic information systems (GIS) face performance degradation when handling large numbers of annotation elements, leading to loading pauses, excessive memory and processing resource usage, and failure to operate interactively with very large datasets.
Innovation Solution
A GIS system that uses conditional-data associated with data objects to control their activation in a visual environment, employing a method where data objects are loaded and processed based on visibility within a three-dimensional volume, utilizing a markup language to define activation conditions and levels of detail, allowing for efficient rendering and display of data objects only when visible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional GIS systems load and process all annotation data elements, then complete data representation is achieved, but system performance degrades with large datasets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between visible and non-visible data elements. The system selectively loads and processes only those annotation elements that are currently visible in the display window, while keeping non-visible elements in a compressed or unloaded state. This approach maintains complete data representation when needed while optimizing performance for the current view by processing only relevant portions of the dataset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the annotation dataset into visible and non-visible portions based on the display window boundaries. By dividing the complete dataset into these segments, the system can independently manage memory and processing resources for each segment, loading high-detail representations only for visible elements while using lower-detail representations for non-visible ones, thus resolving the contradiction between data completeness and performance.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional GIS systems increase the number of annotation elements displayed, then data richness is improved, but memory and processing resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying different levels of data representation based on visibility. Visible annotation elements receive full processing and memory allocation, while non-visible elements are maintained in a compressed or deferred loading state. This allows the system to support a large total quantity of annotation elements without proportionally increasing memory and processing resource usage for all elements simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by selectively processing only the subset of annotation elements that are currently visible rather than processing the entire dataset. This partial processing approach enables the system to display rich quantities of data while consuming resources proportional to the visible portion only, effectively decoupling the quantity of displayed elements from resource consumption.
3Measurement precision
If conventional GIS systems load complete datasets for interaction, then data accuracy is maintained, but loading time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-identifying which annotation elements are visible based on the current view parameters, and pre-loading only those elements into memory. This preliminary selection and selective loading process maintains data accuracy for visible elements while avoiding the time penalty of loading complete datasets, as non-visible elements are deferred until they become visible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains measurement precision locally for visible elements by loading complete, accurate data representations only for those annotation elements currently in the display window. Non-visible elements are kept in a lower-fidelity or compressed state, reducing loading time while preserving full accuracy where it matters for user interaction and display.
Data Source
AI summary
Data-driven guarded evaluation of conditional-data associated with data objects is used to control activation and processing of the data objects in an interactive geographic information system. Methods of evaluating conditional-data to control activation of the data objects are disclosed herein. Data structures to specify conditional data are also disclosed herein.