Spatial Data Storage Using Shared Boundary Segments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face inefficiencies in processing and storing spatial data, particularly in representing and subdividing contiguous spatial areas for location-based searches, sorting, and graphical rendering, due to redundant storage of spatial coordinates.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that converts datasets from storing spatial coordinates of polygonal boundaries to piecewise-linear boundary segments, reducing redundancy and enabling efficient storage and processing by indicating adjacent areas or boundary segments, thereby facilitating faster data retrieval and rendering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If spatial coordinates of polygonal boundaries are stored for each spatial area, then the complete boundary information is preserved, but the dataset size increases due to redundant storage of shared boundary coordinates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the boundary representation by dividing polygonal boundaries into shared boundary segments that are common between adjacent spatial areas. Instead of storing complete polygonal boundaries for each area, the system stores only the unique segments and uses identifiers to reference shared segments, reducing redundant data storage while preserving complete boundary information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges boundary information by identifying and combining shared boundary segments between adjacent spatial areas. When two areas share a boundary, the segment is stored once with references from both areas, eliminating duplication and reducing overall dataset size while maintaining the ability to reconstruct complete boundaries for any area.
2Measurement precision
If complete polygonal boundary data is stored for each spatial area, then accurate spatial queries can be performed, but processing and rendering time increases due to data redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments boundary data into reusable boundary segments that can be independently processed and rendered. By storing boundaries as collections of shared segments rather than complete polygons, the system reduces the amount of data that needs to be processed for each spatial query or rendering operation, thereby decreasing processing and rendering time while maintaining query accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary organization of boundary data by pre-identifying and tagging shared boundary segments with references to adjacent spatial areas. This preliminary structuring allows the system to quickly retrieve and assemble boundary information for spatial queries without redundant processing, improving both query accuracy and processing efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If spatial coordinates are stored for every vertex of every polygonal boundary, then complete geometric information is maintained, but storage efficiency decreases due to repeated coordinates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the geometric representation by storing boundary coordinates as shared segments between adjacent spatial areas. Each segment stores its coordinates once with identifiers linking to the areas that share it, eliminating repeated coordinate storage while preserving complete geometric information for reconstruction of any polygonal boundary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses reference copying instead of data duplication. Instead of copying complete boundary coordinate sets for each spatial area, the system stores unique boundary segments once and creates lightweight references from multiple areas to the same segment data, maintaining geometric accuracy while improving storage efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Generating and storing, for a multitude of polygonal areas, spatial coordinates of a multitude of piecewise-linear spatial boundary segments. The polygonal boundary of each area comprises boundary segments; each boundary segment forms a portion of the polygonal boundary of at most two adjacent spatial areas. Can further include one or both of (i) an indicator, for each spatial boundary segment, of the at most two corresponding adjacent spatial areas that are separated by that boundary segment or (ii) an indicator, for each spatial area, of one or more boundary segments that together form the entire polygonal boundary of that spatial area. The electronic indicia of the second dataset can be used, inter alia, (i) to determine in which of a multitude of at least partly contiguous spatial areas is located a given spatial point, or (ii) to graphically render the polygonal borders of the areas.