Multi-Resolution Raster Tile Boundary Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current grid data formats struggle to efficiently store, access, and visualize large datasets of raster data due to increased size exceeding computing capacity, necessitating improved storage and processing methods for efficient multi-scale visualization.
Innovation Solution
The Multi-Resolution Raster (MRR) system allows for efficient storage and processing by defining base and lower resolution cell sizes as integer multiples, enabling seamless display of high and low resolution tiles without overlap or gaps, and storing data in a single compound file with compression, supporting temporal changes and efficient visualization through a data pyramid structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If raster data is stored at highest resolution across the entire dataset, then visualization quality is improved, but storage requirements and processing time increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the raster dataset into multiple resolution levels (full resolution, half resolution, quarter resolution, etc.), creating a hierarchical structure where different regions can be displayed at different resolutions. This segmentation allows the system to store and process data at multiple scales, reducing overall storage requirements while maintaining visualization quality in regions of interest.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements variable resolution storage where different geographic regions are stored at different resolutions based on their importance. Regions of interest are stored at full resolution, while less important areas are stored at lower resolutions. This local quality approach optimizes storage efficiency while maintaining visualization quality where needed.
2Measurement precision
If raster data is stored at highest resolution across the entire dataset, then visualization quality is improved, but processing speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the data into multiple resolution levels, the system can quickly access and process only the necessary resolution data for a given view, rather than processing entire high-resolution datasets. This significantly improves processing speed for display operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements lazy loading and on-demand processing where only the portions of data needed for current display are processed and loaded into memory. This partial action approach avoids the overhead of processing entire high-resolution datasets, improving processing speed while maintaining visualization quality.
3Quantity of substance
If different resolution tiles are displayed for different regions, then storage efficiency is improved, but tile boundary alignment becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric tile sizing where base level tiles have a standard size, but lower resolution tiles can be smaller (e.g., 1/4, 1/9, or 1/16 the area). This asymmetric structure allows flexible resolution variation while maintaining systematic alignment through defined mathematical relationships between tile sizes at different levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a nested tile structure where lower resolution tiles are positioned to align with and correspond to groups of base level tiles. This nesting approach, with tiles at different resolutions fitting together like a hierarchical puzzle, ensures systematic alignment and simplifies the management of multi-resolution data.
4Measurement precision
If temporal changes are stored by creating new raster datasets, then data accuracy is improved, but storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-organizes data into a hierarchical resolution structure with metadata that tracks temporal changes. This preliminary organization allows the system to efficiently store and retrieve temporal variations without creating complete duplicate datasets, as the structured framework anticipates and accommodates future temporal data additions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements version control and change tracking where only the differences between temporal states are stored. By discarding redundant unchanged data and recovering only the modified portions, the system maintains accurate temporal records while minimizing storage requirements through differential storage of temporal changes.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved method and system are provided for constructing square multi-resolution tiles for use with spatial multi-resolution raster data. This improvement permits more efficient storage, processing and display of raster tiles at different resolutions. A base level cell size is defined for a highest required resolution. Lower resolution cell sizes are defined for lower resolution tiles. The lower resolution cell sizes are integer multiples of the base level cell size. A base level tile size is defined such that the integer multiples, as used in the step of defining lower resolution cell sizes, are all integer factors of a number of cells on a side of the base level tile. Using this technique, the boundaries for the base level tile and the multi-resolution tiles are coextensive.