Interactive Map POI Caching for Clutter and Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic maps often become cluttered with numerous visual components identifying points of interest, making it difficult for users to interact with the map and increasing latency and battery consumption due to frequent network calls for additional map data.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent caching scheme that pre-caches map and overlay information at the client device, dynamically updates the map view based on user interaction, and limits the number of points of interest displayed using a density threshold tailored to the device's display characteristics and user history, reducing the need for additional network calls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple points of interest are displayed on the electronic map, then information completeness is improved, but map clutter increases and user interaction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the most relevant points of interest from the complete set and displays them on the map, while storing the full dataset separately. This selective extraction prevents map clutter by limiting displayed POIs to those with highest interaction likelihood, while preserving access to complete information through the cached overlay data structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels to different regions of the map by ranking POIs and selectively displaying those above a density threshold in the current viewport. High-priority POIs are displayed with visual components, while lower-priority POIs are omitted or deferred, creating local optimization where each map region displays only the most relevant information for that specific area.
2Loss of information
If additional map data is loaded frequently to update points of interest, then information freshness is improved, but latency increases and battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-caching overlay information containing the complete set of points of interest with their interaction likelihood rankings at the client device. This advance preparation eliminates the need for frequent network calls during map interaction, as the client can dynamically filter and display relevant POIs from the pre-loaded cached data, significantly reducing latency and network overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a local copy of the overlay information data structure at the client device, which contains all POI data with interaction likelihood metadata. This local copy enables the client to independently determine which POIs to display based on current viewport and density thresholds without requiring real-time server communication, thereby reducing network latency and battery consumption while maintaining information freshness through local processing.
3Loss of information
If all points of interest are displayed on the map, then information completeness is improved, but visual clutter increases and map readability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the subset of points of interest that meet the interaction likelihood threshold and density criteria, removing excessive visual elements from the map display. The complete POI dataset remains available in the cached overlay structure, ensuring information completeness is preserved even though only essential POIs are visually represented on the map interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by displaying fewer than all available POIs - specifically, only those that fall within the density threshold for the current viewport. This selective display reduces visual clutter and improves map readability, while the system maintains the capability to access and display additional POIs if needed through the pre-cached overlay information.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium and one or more servers in communication, for presenting points of interest in an electronic interactive map at a client device. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, at a client device, an electronic interactive map including a point of interest overlay comprising of at least one point of interest located within the geographic region of the presented map.