Hierarchical Map Visualization for Geo-Enriched Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mapping technologies lack efficient methods for visualizing geo-enriched data at different levels of a geographical hierarchy and for focusing on specific geographical elements, ancestors, or descendants, which limits user interaction and data presentation.
Innovation Solution
A map-based visualization system that receives requests for map visualizations, identifies geographical elements based on a hierarchy, and performs spatial operations to generate visualizations that include geo-enriched data at various levels, allowing users to focus on specific elements, ancestors, or descendants by retrieving and processing geo-enriched data from storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If map visualization systems display all geo-enriched data at once, then data completeness is improved, but user ability to focus on specific geographical elements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments geo-enriched data by hierarchical levels (country, state, city, neighborhood) and enables users to focus on specific levels through parameter selection. The visualization divides data into discrete hierarchical segments that can be independently selected and displayed, allowing users to concentrate on particular geographical elements while maintaining data completeness in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The map visualization system dynamically adjusts the displayed data scope based on user-selected parameters. Users can interactively change the focus level from broad (all geographical elements) to specific (individual elements, ancestors, or descendants), and the system dynamically retrieves and displays only the relevant subset of geo-enriched data corresponding to the selected focus.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system provides detailed hierarchical navigation, then user interaction capability is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal hierarchical parameter structure that handles multiple geographical levels (country, state, city, neighborhood) and relationship types (self, ancestor, descendant) through a single unified framework. This multi-functional approach allows the same system architecture to serve diverse user interaction needs without requiring separate processing paths for each hierarchical level or relationship type.
Solution Approach 2:
The system organizes geographical data in nested hierarchical structures where each level contains subordinate elements (countries contain states, states contain cities, cities contain neighborhoods). This nesting allows the system to efficiently manage complexity by containing detailed information within hierarchical containers, enabling users to navigate from broad to specific views without overwhelming system complexity.
3Reliability
If the system retrieves geo-enriched data from storage for each request, then data freshness is improved, but processing time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary organization of geo-enriched data in storage according to the hierarchical parameter structure before retrieval is needed. Data is pre-structured with clear hierarchical relationships and indexing, allowing the system to quickly locate and retrieve only the specific subset of data needed for each user request without performing extensive processing at retrieval time.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores a program. The program receives a request for a map visualization that includes a plurality of geo-enriched data and geographical elements associated with a level of a plurality of levels in a hierarchy of geographical elements. The program further identifies a set of geographical elements associated with the level based on the hierarchy of geographical elements. The program also generates the map visualization to include the plurality of geo-enriched data and the set of geographical elements.