Map Tile Rendering with Dynamic Style Sheets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current map display technologies lack efficient methods for rendering maps according to user-defined stylesheets, leading to suboptimal visual representation and user experience.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obtaining map tiles from a server, identifying styles using a stylesheet stored on the rendering device, and rendering map tiles based on style identifiers, allowing for dynamic selection and application of rendering instructions to provide customized map displays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If map tiles are rendered using traditional fixed styles, then the rendering process is simple and fast, but the map display lacks flexibility and cannot adapt to user preferences or different display modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the map rendering system into independent components: map tiles containing feature data with style identifiers, and separate stylesheet definitions that specify rendering instructions. This segmentation allows the style information to be separated from the map data, enabling flexible style application without increasing the complexity of the core rendering engine. The stylesheet can be applied to existing map tiles or new tiles as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a stylesheet as an intermediary between the map tile data and the rendering process. The stylesheet acts as a mediator that translates style identifiers in the map tiles into actual rendering instructions. This intermediary layer provides flexibility in style application while keeping the map tile structure simple and the rendering logic organized, thus improving adaptability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple styles are supported with ranking algorithms, then user customization and display mode adaptation are improved, but the style identification and selection process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining multiple styles with their corresponding rendering instructions in the stylesheet before the rendering process. Each style is associated with style identifiers that can be matched against features in map tiles. The ranking algorithm is pre-configured to evaluate styles based on the number of matching style identifiers, allowing for efficient style selection without complex real-time computation during rendering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by varying the style identifiers and their corresponding rendering instructions in the stylesheet. The style matching process compares style identifiers in map tiles against defined styles and ranks them based on the number of matching parameters. This parameter-based approach simplifies the style selection process by reducing it to a systematic comparison and counting operation, making the complexity manageable and the algorithm efficient.
3Adaptability or versatility
If map tiles are obtained from external servers, then the map data source is flexible and updateable, but the dependency on external services increases system complexity and potential latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the map data retrieval process into independent map tile requests that can be obtained from external servers. Each map tile is a self-contained unit with feature data and style identifiers, allowing it to be retrieved independently. This segmentation enables flexible data sourcing from multiple servers while keeping the integration simple, as each tile can be processed and rendered independently without requiring complex coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies copying by obtaining map tiles as copies of map data from external servers. These copied tiles contain the necessary feature information and style identifiers to be rendered locally according to the stylesheet. This copying approach allows the system to use external data sources while maintaining independence in the rendering process, reducing the impact of external service dependencies on the overall system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems and apparatus are described to render a map according to a style sheet. Several embodiments of map rendering are described that may be suitable for rendering individual portions of a map, known as map tiles, which may include one or more features. Embodiments may obtain one or more a map tiles with features that may have one or more style identifiers. Embodiments may identify a style from a stylesheet for each feature in the map tile according to style identifiers in the feature and the style in the stylesheet. Some embodiments may render the one or more map tiles according to the identified styles and may display the rendered map tiles. In some embodiments, a map service generates one or more map tiles with features including style identifiers and sends the one or more map tiles to a client rendering device.