Map Rendering Banding for 3D Tilt View Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current mapping applications face challenges in efficiently managing and rendering large amounts of map data, particularly when displaying three-dimensional maps, as they often download and cache data inefficiently, leading to increased bandwidth and processing requirements without optimizing for different viewing angles and depths.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method determines a viewing window of a map surface, dividing it into depth bands with varying densities of map data, using higher zoom level data for foreground bands and lower zoom level data for background bands, allowing for selective retrieval and processing of necessary map data tiles based on depth ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all map data tiles are downloaded and cached for three-dimensional map display, then complete map coverage is achieved, but bandwidth consumption and data storage requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemap display completenessVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different data densities to different spatial regions of the map based on their depth relative to the viewing window. Foreground regions (closer to the viewing window) use high-density map data tiles for detailed visualization, while background regions (farther from the viewing window) use low-density map data tiles with reduced detail. This spatially varying data quality approach maintains visual satisfaction for three-dimensional map display while significantly reducing the total data volume that must be downloaded and cached.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If high zoom level data is used for all map regions, then detailed map information is provided throughout, but data retrieval time and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemap data detailVSAvoiddata retrieval time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the map display region into multiple depth bands based on their distance from the viewing window. Each depth band is then assigned an appropriate zoom level: high zoom levels for foreground bands requiring detailed information, and low zoom levels for background bands where less detail is needed. This segmentation strategy enables selective retrieval of map data tiles at different zoom levels, reducing overall data retrieval time and processing requirements while maintaining detailed information where it is most visually important.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If map data is rendered uniformly across all depth bands, then consistent visual quality is achieved, but bandwidth and processing resources are wasted on regions that do not require high detail

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual quality consistencyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by dynamically adjusting the data density and zoom level of map tiles based on the depth position of each region relative to the viewing window. Foreground regions within or near the viewing window receive high-density map data for consistent visual quality, while background regions beyond the viewing window receive low-density map data. This approach maintains visual quality consistency in regions that matter most to the user while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption and processing resources by avoiding uniform high-detail rendering across all depth bands.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2766876B1Use of banding to optimize map rendering in a three-dimensional tilt view
Publication Date: 2017.12.27 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP2766876B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2766876B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2766876B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, determines a viewing window of a map surface to be displayed. The method generally determines a set of viewing boundaries of the map surface, wherein the set of viewing boundaries divide the map surface into a plurality of viewing bands based on a depth dimension range. The method then determines different zoom level map data for each viewing band and renders a three-dimensional display of the map surface based on the viewing bands and zoom level map data.