Dynamic Map Detail Level Selection for Navigation Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current navigation systems consume excessive client device power and bandwidth by rendering digital maps at uniform levels of detail, which is inefficient for providing route guidance, especially when higher detail is not necessary for all parts of a route.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method to dynamically select levels of detail for digital maps based on user location and route complexity, where origin and destination locations are rendered at higher detail and intermediate route sections at lower detail, reducing unnecessary data transfer and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If digital maps are rendered at uniform high levels of detail across the entire route, then navigation clarity and user understanding are improved, but power consumption and bandwidth usage increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation clarityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering different portions of the map at different levels of detail based on their importance. Critical areas such as the user's current location, upcoming turns, and complex intersections are rendered at high detail, while less critical areas along the route are rendered at lower detail, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining navigation clarity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the route into multiple portions and assigns different rendering qualities to each segment. By dividing the route into critical and non-critical segments, the system can selectively apply high-detail rendering only to necessary portions, reducing the total bandwidth and power requirements while preserving essential navigation information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If digital maps are rendered at uniform high levels of detail across the entire route, then complete navigation information is provided, but bandwidth consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation information completenessVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering different portions of the map at different levels of detail based on their importance. Critical areas such as the user's current location, upcoming turns, and complex intersections are rendered at high detail, while less critical areas along the route are rendered at lower detail, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining navigation clarity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the route into multiple portions and assigns different rendering qualities to each segment. By dividing the route into critical and non-critical segments, the system can selectively apply high-detail rendering only to necessary portions, reducing the total bandwidth and power requirements while preserving essential navigation information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Use of energy by moving object

If digital maps are rendered at uniform low levels of detail across the entire route, then power and bandwidth consumption are reduced, but navigation clarity and user understanding deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidnavigation clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering different portions of the map at different levels of detail based on their importance. Critical areas such as the user's current location, upcoming turns, and complex intersections are rendered at high detail, while less critical areas along the route are rendered at lower detail, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining navigation clarity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of information

If high level of detail is applied to all map portions, then all navigation features are visible, but device processing load and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeature visibilityVSAvoidprocessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by rendering different portions of the map at different levels of detail based on their importance. Critical areas such as the user's current location, upcoming turns, and complex intersections are rendered at high detail, while less critical areas along the route are rendered at lower detail, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining navigation clarity where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the route into multiple portions and assigns different rendering qualities to each segment. By dividing the route into critical and non-critical segments, the system can selectively apply high-detail rendering only to necessary portions, reducing the total bandwidth and power requirements while preserving essential navigation information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3710785B1Automatic selection of map detail levels
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 UBER TECHNOLOGIES INC
  • EP3710785B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3710785B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3710785B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Route guidance using less client device power and bandwidth is enabled by automatically selecting portions of a map to display with higher and lower levels of detail. An origin location and destination location are displayed at a higher level of detail, while portions between origin and destination are displayed at a lower level of detail. A user of a transportation service may request a ride, specifying her pickup location and destination locations using a map rendered at a higher level of detail. While waiting for pickup, and while en route to the destination location, the user may consult a map that is rendered at a lower level of detail. When multiple users participate as riders in a transportation service, sharing a common driver but each having different pickup and drop off locations, portions of a map may be rendered differently for each user.