Portable Globe Creation for Offline GIS Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) face challenges in providing access to high-resolution geospatial data to users in remote or disconnected areas, such as military or first responder personnel, due to reliance on central servers and limited network connectivity.
Innovation Solution
A portable globe system that allows for the creation and transmission of a smaller, localized GIS dataset based on selected regions from a master globe, enabling higher resolution rendering of specific areas without network connectivity, using quadtree addresses and packet bundling for efficient data organization and transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a complete master globe with high-resolution data for all regions is provided to users, then rendering quality and detail are improved, but data size and bandwidth requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The master globe is divided into hierarchical levels (LODs) and regional segments. Users receive only the specific regional segments they need at appropriate resolution levels, rather than the complete globe data. This segmentation allows high-resolution data for selected regions to be provided while keeping overall data size manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
Different resolution levels are applied to different regions based on user needs. Selected regions of interest receive high-resolution data (LOD 0-2), while other regions use lower resolution levels. This local quality approach ensures high rendering quality where needed while reducing overall data transmission requirements.
2Measurement precision
If high-resolution geospatial data is transmitted to users in remote areas, then rendering quality is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the specific high-resolution data packets needed for selected regions of interest, rather than transmitting the complete master globe data. This extraction approach provides high rendering quality for critical areas while minimizing bandwidth consumption by excluding unnecessary data.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a portable globe is created with high-resolution data for selected regions, then offline access capability is improved, but device storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The portable globe is segmented into discrete data packets organized by region and resolution level. Users can download and store only the specific packets needed for their regions of interest at appropriate resolution levels, enabling offline access while keeping device storage requirements manageable through selective data retention.
4Loss of information
If complete master globe data is made available to all users, then data completeness is improved, but system complexity and distribution difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The master globe data is segmented into hierarchical levels and regional packets, making it modular and easier to distribute. This segmentation allows the system to maintain data completeness across all levels while reducing distribution complexity, as users can receive only the specific segments they need rather than the complete dataset.
Solution Approach 2:
The master globe is pre-processed and organized into hierarchical levels and regional packets before distribution. This preliminary organization simplifies the distribution process, as the structured format allows for efficient transmission and assembly of data packets without requiring complex real-time processing during deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
Portable globes may be provided for viewing regions of interest in a Geographical Information System (GIS). A method for providing a portable globe for a GIS may include determining one or more selected regions corresponding to a geographical region of a master globe. The method may further include organizing geospatial data from the master globe based on the selected region and creating the portable globe based on the geospatial data. The portable globe may be smaller in data size than the master globe. The method may include transmitting the portable globe to a local device that may render the selected region at a higher resolution than the remainder of the portable globe in the GIS. A system for providing a portable globe may include a selection module, a fusion module and a transmitter. A system for updating a portable globe may include a packet bundler and a globe cutter.