U.S. patent application number 14/281607 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-24 for addiing custom content to mapping applications.
This patent application is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Jaya Bhatia, John R. Douceur, Jeremy Eric Elson, Danyel Fisher, Jonathan R. Howell, Keith Robert Kinman, Duncan Murray Lawler, Chandrasekhar Thota.
Application Number | 20150371439 14/281607 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39793485 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150371439 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kinman; Keith Robert ; et
al. |
December 24, 2015 |
Addiing Custom Content To Mapping Applications
Abstract
Digital maps can be composed of a series of image tiles that are
selected based on the context of the map to be presented.
Independently hosted tiles can comprise additional details that can
be added to the map. A manifest can be created that describes the
layers of map details composed of such independently hosted tiles.
Externally referable mechanisms can, based on the manifest and map
context, select tiles, from among the independently hosted tiles,
that correspond to map tiles being displayed to a user.
Subsequently, the mechanisms can instruct a browser, as specified
in the manifest, to combine the map tiles and the independently
hosted tiles to generate a more detailed map. Alternatively,
customized mechanisms can generate map detail tiles in real-time,
based on an exported map context. Also, controls instantiated by
the browser can render three-dimensional images based on the
combined map tiles.
Inventors: |
Kinman; Keith Robert;
(Snoqualmie, WA) ; Thota; Chandrasekhar; (Palo
Alto, CA) ; Bhatia; Jaya; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Elson; Jeremy Eric; (Kirkland, WA) ; Howell; Jonathan
R.; (Seattle, WA) ; Fisher; Danyel; (Seattle,
WA) ; Douceur; John R.; (Bellevue, WA) ;
Lawler; Duncan Murray; (Bothell, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Microsoft Corporation |
Redmond |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
39793485 |
Appl. No.: |
14/281607 |
Filed: |
May 19, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11731032 |
Mar 29, 2007 |
8749585 |
|
|
14281607 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/420 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06T 15/20 20130101;
G06T 2210/04 20130101; G06T 15/04 20130101; G06T 19/20 20130101;
G06T 17/05 20130101; G06F 16/29 20190101; G06T 2207/30184 20130101;
G09B 29/007 20130101; G06T 2200/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06T 17/05 20060101
G06T017/05; G09B 29/00 20060101 G09B029/00; G06T 15/20 20060101
G06T015/20; G06F 17/30 20060101 G06F017/30; G06T 15/04 20060101
G06T015/04; G06T 19/20 20060101 G06T019/20 |
Claims
1. One or more computer-readable media comprising
computer-executable instructions for generating a digital map
comprising map tiles and independently provided tiles of map
details, the computer-executable instructions directed to steps
comprising: obtaining a map context indicating a geographic region
and a zoom level; detecting an override of default mechanisms that
specify appropriate ones of the independently provided tiles of map
details, the override identifying a custom mechanism for providing
identifiers of appropriate ones of the independently provided tiles
of map details in response to the map context; providing the map
context to the custom mechanism identified by the override;
matching the tiles of map details identified by the custom
mechanism to corresponding map tiles, with each matched tile of map
details and corresponding map tile pair representing an equivalent
geographic area; and causing at least some of the matched tiles of
map details to be displayed superimposed over at least some of the
corresponding map tiles.
2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the causing the
at least some of the matched tiles of map details to be displayed
superimposed over the at least some of the corresponding map tiles
further comprises causing the at least some of the matched tiles of
map details to be displayed with a predetermined opacity with
respect to the at least some of the corresponding map tiles.
3. The computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the
predetermined opacity is specified in a manifest associated with
the independently provided tiles of map details.
4. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the override is
specified in a manifest associated with the independently provided
tiles of map details.
5. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the tiles of map
details identified by the custom mechanism comprise at least two
independent layers of map details simultaneously representing
equivalent geographic areas.
6. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the causing the
at least some of the matched tiles of map details to be displayed
superimposed over the at least some of the corresponding map tiles
further comprises: causing at least some of the matched tiles of
map details representing a first layer to be displayed with a first
predetermined opacity with respect to at least some of the matched
tiles of map details representing a second layer and with respect
to the at least some of the corresponding map tiles; and causing
the at least some of the matched tiles of map details representing
the second layer to be displayed with a second predetermined
opacity with respect to the at least some of the corresponding map
tiles.
7. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the custom
mechanism generates the tiles of map details identified by the
custom mechanism upon receipt of the map context.
8. A method for generating a simulated three-dimensional
representation of a digital map comprising map tiles and
independently provided tiles of map details, the method performing
steps comprising: obtaining a map context indicating a geographic
region and a zoom level; identifying map tiles based on the map
context; identifying tiles of map details based on the map context;
corresponding the identified tiles of map details with the
identified map tiles such that each map tile and corresponding
identified tile of map details represent equivalent geographic
areas; and providing the identified map tiles and the corresponding
identified tiles of map details to a three-dimensional image
generation component, the three-dimensional image generation
component accessing elevation data of the geographic areas
represented by the identified map tiles and the corresponding
identified tiles of map details.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying tiles of map
details comprises: parsing a manifest to obtain referencing
information associating the map context with the tiles of map
details.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the referencing information is a
variable uniform resource locator, and wherein further the map
context is used to generate a value that is substituted into the
variable uniform resource locator to accomplish the identifying
tiles of map details.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the three-dimensional image
generation component distorts an image formed by the display of the
identified tiles of map details superimposed, with a predetermined
opacity, on the identified map tiles, given the elevation data of
the geographic areas represented by the identified tiles of map
details and the identified map tiles.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: parsing a manifest
to obtain the predetermined opacity of the tiles of map details;
and providing the identified predetermined opacity to the
three-dimensional image generation component.
13. An user interface for automatically generating, for a user, a
uniform resource locator comprising parameters for displaying a
digital map having independently provided details, the digital map
comprising map tiles and independently provided tiles of map
details, the interface comprising: a tile location specification
element for accepting a location of the independently provided
tiles of map details; and a uniform resource locator display
element for displaying the generated uniform resource locator, the
generated uniform resource locator comprising a standard uniform
resource locator and, appended to the standard uniform resource
locator, a variable resource locator specifying the location of the
independently provided tiles of map details and modifiable to
individually reference the independently provided tiles of map
details.
14. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the variable resource
locator referencing the independently provided tiles of map details
is separated from the standard uniform resource locator by a
predetermined parameter separation character.
15. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the variable resource
locator referencing the independently provided tiles of map details
is appended to the generated uniform resource locator as a
name-value pair.
16. The user interface of claim 13, wherein a map context is
referenced to generate a value that is substituted into the
variable resource locator to identify specific ones of the
independently provided tiles of map details.
17. The user interface of claim 13 further comprising an opacity
specification element for selecting an opacity of the tiles of map
details; wherein the generated uniform resource locator further
comprises, appended to the standard uniform resource locator, the
opacity of the tiles of map details.
18. The user interface of claim 13 further comprising a bounds
specification element for indicating a geographic boundary of the
tiles of map details; wherein the generated uniform resource
locator further comprises, appended to the standard uniform
resource locator, the geographic boundary of the tiles of map
details.
19. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the parameters of the
generated uniform resource locator enable identification of tiles
of map details corresponding to map tiles, the digital map created
by displaying the identified tiles of map details superimposed upon
corresponding map tiles in accordance with the parameters of the
generated uniform resource locator.
20. The user interface of claim 13, wherein parameters not
specified by the generated uniform resource locator are set to
default values.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/731,032 filed on Mar. 29, 2007.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Paper-based map designers have always faced a Hobson's
choice: they could choose to include greater amounts of detail and
create a map that was either too large or too cluttered, or they
could choose to remove details and create a map that did not
contain the relevant information needed by its users. Digital maps
accessed via a computing device do not present such a choice.
Instead, because the level of detail displayed can be adjusted by
the user, such as through a zoom function, digital map designers
can include as much detail as can be conveniently and efficiently
created, stored and accessed. User control of the amount of detail
displayed, and the geographic area displayed, enables each user of
a digital map to customize the displayed map for their own
purposes.
[0003] However, while greater amounts of information can be
efficiently consumed by the user of a digital map, and increase the
user's perceived value of the digital map, the collection,
maintenance and storage of such information can limit the amount
and type of information typically provided by digital map
publishers. Map information that frequently changes can require
continuous collection and updating efforts on the part of the
digital map publisher, which can be both time consuming and costly.
For example, public transportation routes can frequently change
and, if such details are to be part of the digital map, the digital
map publisher must first monitor the appropriate sources of the
public transportation routes, and must subsequently collect the new
route information when it is changed and, finally, must modify the
existing digital map data accordingly. Even if map information does
not frequently change, the sheer quantity of information can limit
the ability of the digital map publisher to provide such
information. For example, satellite imagery can be useful for years
before it needs to be updated. However, detailed satellite imagery
can require hundreds of gigabytes of storage space and, even more
costly, it can require large amounts of network throughput if the
digital map is to be provided to users through a network
connection.
[0004] Historically, digital maps were published via portable
computer-readable media, such as floppy disks or compact disks. The
storage capacity of such computer-readable media limited the amount
of detail that publishers could include with digital maps. More
recently, especially with the growth of the Internet and the World
Wide Web, digital maps are also provided to users through network
connections. Such network-accessed digital maps still suffer from
storage constraints, though the quantity of storage available can
be orders of magnitude larger. Furthermore, the throughput of the
network connections of digital map publishers can likewise limit
the amount of detail that digital map publishers can provide to
large numbers of simultaneous users. For example, ultra-fast
multi-gigabit connections can support only a handful of
simultaneous users if each user is requesting large quantities of
detailed digital map data.
SUMMARY
[0005] Digital maps, especially those accessible over a network,
can provide a canvas upon which a vast quantity of data can be
presented. While such data would have been traditionally added to
the map by the map publisher, it can be more efficient to provide
mechanisms by which others can add specific details to the map.
Consequently, the level of detail available to consumers of these
digital maps can significantly increase without any attendant
increase in the storage or bandwidth needed by the map
publisher.
[0006] An interface can provide standardized mechanisms by which
individual detail publishers can overlay their details upon digital
maps provided by a map publisher. In one embodiment, both the
digital maps, and the subsequent, independently hosted, details can
be provided in the form of tiles of images downloaded by a browser
from network storage media. The interface can be implemented as one
or more scripts, executable by the browser, to enable the browser
to identify the appropriate tiles of both map data and detail data.
The one or more scripts can further provide instructions to the
browser regarding the display of the map and detail data,
including, for example, the opacity of the tiles of detail data and
the display order of the tiles of detail data if there are multiple
layers of such tiles.
[0007] In one embodiment, the interface can provide appropriate
hand-off mechanisms by which an independently implemented mechanism
can be referenced to provide, to the browser, pointers to the
relevant detail layer tiles that are to be presented in conjunction
with the map tiles. Such hand-off mechanisms can provide relevant
information, including boundary and zoom information, by which the
independently implemented mechanism can determine which
detail-layer tiles correspond to the displayed map tiles.
[0008] In another embodiment, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) can
be used to convey appropriate information necessary to identify map
detail tiles corresponding to displayed map tiles. To enable
programmatically unskilled individuals the ability to add details
to a digital map, the URL with the relevant information can be
constructed for a user based on choices made by the user via common
user interface elements. For example, text-entry fields and sliders
can enable a user to specify how the tiles of map details will be
displayed. The user's settings can then be incorporated into an
automatically constructed URL.
[0009] To facilitate the selection of relevant map detail tiles,
and to facilitate their display with map tiles, a declarative
representation of the detail layer can be created, specifying
relevant information in a predefined manner. In one embodiment,
such a declarative representation can take the form of an
eXtensible Markup Language (XML) manifest. The declarative
representation can be referenced by the interface, or independently
implemented mechanism, to both generate pointers to the appropriate
map detail tiles, and to instruct the browser regarding their
display.
[0010] In a still further embodiment, mechanisms for providing a
three-dimensional display can be used with the combination of the
map detail tiles and the map tiles, to generate three-dimensional
map imagery that includes the details from the detail layer. Such
three-dimensional display mechanisms can be provided with the
relevant detail layer tiles, and the relevant display criteria for
those tiles. However, instead of relying on the display
capabilities of the browser, the three-dimensional display
mechanisms can themselves generate an appropriate display using,
not only the provided data, but also elevation data corresponding
to the relevant map tiles, and mathematical formulae for
visualizing a three-dimensional surface on a two-dimensional
display.
[0011] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0012] Additional features and advantages will be made apparent
from the following detailed description that proceeds with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The following detailed description may be best understood
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of
which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary system that provides
context for the described functionality;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing
device;
[0016] FIG. 3 is an exemplary map web page having additional
independently provided detail layers;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a communicational diagram illustrating an
exemplary communicational flow for displaying independently
provided map details on a browser;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process
for displaying independently provided map details on a browser;
and
[0019] FIG. 6 is an exemplary user interface for automatically
constructing a pointer to appropriate detail tiles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The following description relates to the independent
provision of details on digital maps provided by a digital map
publisher. An application, such as a specific digital map reader,
or a more general network or image browser, can be used to display
sections, or "tiles," of a digital map. Further details can be
provided by overlaying additional tiles with those details over the
digital map tiles. Such further details can be generated,
maintained, stored and provided independently of the map tiles.
Interface mechanisms can facilitate the overlaying of independently
provided details by selecting appropriate tiles that comprise the
independently provided details and that correspond to the map tiles
being shown. Such interface mechanisms can reference declarative
specifications of each detail layer to identify the appropriate
tiles and to instruct the application to display such map and
detail tiles appropriately. Alternatively, greater ease of use can
be provided by soliciting specific inputs from a user, such as
through a user interface, and automatically generating a pointer to
appropriate map detail tiles based on the user's selections. Once
identified, the map and detail tiles can be displayed by either the
application, or a combination of the application and external
display mechanisms designed to simulate three-dimensional views of
the map and details based on relevant elevation data and
appropriate mathematical imaging manipulation mechanisms.
[0021] The techniques described herein focus on the presentation of
map data and detail data as obtained from one or more network
sources accessible via a network browser, such as the ubiquitous
"web browser." However, such descriptions are not meant to suggest
a limitation of the described techniques to only the display of map
and detail data obtained from the World Wide Web, or only to the
display of map and detail images within the context of a web
browser. To the contrary, the described techniques are equally
applicable to local content, such as map tiles and detail tiles
stored in one or more folders on a hard drive or other local
storage medium. Similarly, the described techniques are also
equally applicable to the display of map and detail data by
applications written specifically for such data and designed to
enable common interactive commands used to view maps, such as
scrolling around the map and zooming in to or out of specific
regions of the map. Such customized applications can make use of
the external mechanisms described herein, or they can be modified
to incorporate such mechanisms themselves.
[0022] Although not required, the description below will be in the
general context of computer-executable instructions, such as
program modules, being executed by a computing device. More
specifically, the description will reference acts and symbolic
representations of operations that are performed by one or more
computing devices or peripherals, unless indicated otherwise. As
such, it will be understood that such acts and operations, which
are at times referred to as being computer-executed, include the
manipulation by a processing unit of electrical signals
representing data in a structured form. This manipulation
transforms the data or maintains it at locations in memory, which
reconfigures or otherwise alters the operation of the computing
device or peripherals in a manner well understood by those skilled
in the art. The data structures where data is maintained are
physical locations that have particular properties defined by the
format of the data.
[0023] Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform
particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.
Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
computing devices need not be limited to conventional personal
computers, and include other computing configurations, including
hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor based or
programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers,
mainframe computers, and the like. Similarly, the computing devices
need not be limited to a stand-alone computing devices, as the
mechanisms may also be practiced in distributed computing
environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices
that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed
computing environment, program modules may be located in both local
and remote memory storage devices.
[0024] With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary system 99 is
illustrated, providing context for the descriptions below. The
exemplary system 99 can be part of the Internet 90, as illustrated,
though the reference to the Internet is strictly an example and is
not intended to limit the descriptions to Internet protocols, such
as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), the Internet Protocol
(IP), or any other Internet-specific technology. Exemplary system
99 includes a personal computing device 10 and website hosting
computing devices 20 and 40 connected to the Internet 90. Each of
the website hosting devices 20 and 40 hosts a website 21 and 41,
respectively, which can be browsed from the personal computing
device 10 with a web browser 11. More precisely, the various web
pages of websites 21 and 41 can be read and displayed by web
browser 11. As will be known by those skilled in the art, the
collection of websites hosted by computing devices connected to the
Internet 90 is commonly referred to as the World Wide Web. However,
as with the reference to the Internet itself, the reference to the
World Wide Web is strictly exemplary and is not intended to limit
the descriptions to HTTP, HTML, or any other World Wide
Web-specific technology.
[0025] Website hosting computing device 40 is a map hosting device
having a map website 41 providing digital maps that can be viewed
and interacted with through the web browser 11. The digital maps
provided by the map website 41 can be composed of map tiles 60.
More specifically, the map website 41 comprises instructions for
the browser 11 which enable the browser to determine which of the
map tiles 60 are to be displayed.
[0026] In one embodiment, the website hosting device 20 is a custom
map hosting device having a custom map website 21 for displaying
maps with customized content in the form of additional details
beyond those offered by the map website 41. For example, the custom
map website 21 can display the standard map elements provided by
the map website 41, but can further display details such as current
traffic conditions, bike trails, public transportation routes, more
detailed satellite imagery, zoning information, building layouts,
or any other details that have meaning within the context of the
maps of the map website 41. As with the maps of website 41, the
customized maps of website 21 can be assembled from tiles. However,
rather than duplicating the information already present in the map
tiles 60, the custom map website can generate, maintain and store
tiles of only the additional map details to which the custom map is
directed. Such tiles of map details 50 can be combined with the map
tiles 60 by the browser 11 to generate the custom maps that are
nominally provided by custom map website 21. More specifically, the
web pages of the custom map website 21 can utilize mechanisms,
provided by, for example, the map hosting device 40, to instruct
the browser 11 to generate these custom maps that comprise map
tiles that are only in part stored and maintained by the custom map
hosting device 20.
[0027] Initially, a user of the personal computing device 10
directs the web browser 11 to obtain information from a web page of
the custom map website 21. Such a web page can comprise tagged data
that can be displayed by the browser 11 in accordance with the
tags. Such a web page can further comprise browser-executable
instructions, including, for example, browser-executable scripts.
As will be known by those skilled in the art, the web page need not
directly recite browser-executable script itself, but can instead
merely reference files comprising such scripts, which may be
resident elsewhere on the Internet 90.
[0028] In one embodiment, the map hosting device 40 can provide
browser-executable scripts for properly combining the map data
present in the map tiles 60 with the map detail data present in the
tiles of map details 50. Such scripts can rely on a declarative
specification provided by the custom map website 21, and on the
tiles of map details 50. When referenced by one or more web pages
of the custom map website 21, the scripts provided by the map
hosting device 40 can integrate the map tiles 60 with the tiles of
map details 50 by instructing the browser 11 to combine them to
form the detailed map intended by the web pages of the custom map
website.
[0029] Additional features and mechanisms hosted by the map hosting
device 40 can be further leveraged by one or more web pages of the
custom map website 21. In one embodiment, features and mechanisms
hosted by the map hosting device 40 can enable one or more web
pages of the custom map website 21 to provide three-dimensional
perspective views of maps comprising the details present in the
tiles of map details 50. In such a case, rather than providing
browser-executable script that leverages built-in browser display
functionality, the map hosting device 40 can host a downloadable
component that can be instantiated by the browser 11 and can
perform graphical manipulation of the relevant map tiles 60 and
tiles of map details 50 so as to provide an appropriate
three-dimensional perspective. Elevation data, which can be used by
the downloadable component to generate the three-dimensional
perspective, can be maintained by the map hosting device 40
together with the map tiles 60.
[0030] In another embodiment, features and mechanisms hosted by the
map hosting device 40 can provide a user interface that can
generate a pointer, known as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
within the Internet-centric context of FIG. 1, that has sufficient
information to enable the combination of specific tiles from both
the map tiles 60 and the tiles of map details 50. For example, a
web page of the map website 41 can provide a user interface for
generating a URL that identifies a web page of the custom map
website 21. Additional information in the URL can be used by the
custom map website 21, in conjunction with the browser-executable
scripts hosted by the map hosting device 40, to instruct the web
browser 11 to generate a map image based on map tiles 60, tiles of
map details 50, and the settings selected via the provided user
interface.
[0031] Before describing the features and mechanisms hosted by the
map hosting device 40, that can be used by the custom map website
21, a brief description of the computing devices of FIG. 1 is
provided with reference to an exemplary computing device 100,
illustrated in FIG. 2. Any of the computing devices of system 99
shown in FIG. 1 can be of the form of the exemplary computing
device 100, including the personal computing device 10 and the
website hosting devices 20 and 40.
[0032] Turning to FIG. 2, the exemplary computing device 100 can
include, but is not limited to, one or more central processing
units (CPUs) 120, a system memory 130, and a system bus 121 that
couples various system components including the system memory to
the processing unit 120. The system bus 121 may be any of several
types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory
controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a
variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not
limitation, such architectures include the Peripheral Component
Interconnect (PCI) bus and various higher speed versions thereof,
the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus and Enhanced ISA
(EISA) bus, the Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, and the Video
Electronics Standards Associate (VESA) bus. The computing device
100 can optionally include graphics hardware, including, but not
limited to, a graphics hardware interface 190 and a display device
191.
[0033] The computing device 100 also typically includes computer
readable media, which can include any available media that can be
accessed by computing device 100 and includes both volatile and
nonvolatile media and removable and non-removable media. By way of
example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise
computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage
media includes media implemented in any method or technology for
storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or
other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or
other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium which can be used to store the desired information and
which can be accessed by the computing device 100. Communication
media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data
signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and
includes any information delivery media. By way of example, and not
limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a
wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such
as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of
the any of the above should also be included within the scope of
computer readable media.
[0034] The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the
form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory
(ROM) 131 and random access memory (RAM) 132. A basic input/output
system 133 (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to
transfer information between elements within computing device 100,
such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM 131. RAM 132
typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately
accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit
120. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 2 illustrates
operating system 134, other program modules 135, and program data
136.
[0035] The computing device 100 may also include other
removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage
media. By way of example only, FIG. 2 illustrates a hard disk drive
141 that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile
magnetic media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile
computer storage media that can be used with the exemplary
computing device include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape
cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital
video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The
hard disk drive 141 is typically connected to the system bus 121
through a non-removable memory interface such as interface 140.
[0036] The drives and their associated computer storage media
discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 2, provide storage of
computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules
and other data for the computing device 100. In FIG. 2, for
example, hard disk drive 141 is illustrated as storing operating
system 144, other program modules 145, and program data 146. Note
that these components can either be the same as or different from
operating system 134, other program modules 135 and program data
136. Operating system 144, other program modules 145 and program
data 146 are given different numbers hereto illustrate that, at a
minimum, they are different copies.
[0037] Of relevance to the descriptions below, the computing device
100 may operate in a networked environment using logical
connections to one or more remote computers. For simplicity of
illustration, and in conformance with the exemplary system 99 of
FIG. 1, the computing device 100 is shown in FIG. 2 to be connected
to the Internet 90. However, the computing device 100 is not
limited to any particular network or networking protocols. The
logical connection depicted in FIG. 2 is a general network
connection 171 that can be a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN) or other networks. The computing device 100 is
connected to the general network connection 171 through a network
interface or adapter 170 which is, in turn, connected to the system
bus 121. In a networked environment, program modules depicted
relative to the computing device 100, or portions or peripherals
thereof, may be stored in the memory of one or more other computing
devices that are communicatively coupled to the computing device
100 through the general network connection 171. It will be
appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and
other means of establishing a communications link between computing
devices may be used.
[0038] In a World Wide Web based environment, network
communications occur generally within the context of the display of
one or more web pages by a web browser 11. Turning to FIG. 3, an
exemplary map web page is shown in web browser displays 200 and
250. The web browser display 200 comprises a navigational toolbar
210 and a text entry field 220 for receiving and displaying the
network location of the currently displayed web page. The currently
displayed web page comprises an exemplary digital map 230 of an
area having three highways and multiple secondary roads. The
currently displayed web page further comprises a map control 240
that enables interactive control of the displayed map 230. The
illustrated exemplary control 240 can include selection 242 for
enabling a two-dimensional display and selection 241 for enabling a
three-dimensional display. Control 240 can likewise include a zoom
slider 243, enabling the user to select the scale of the map 230.
Control 240 can further include display selections 244, 245 and
246, enabling the user to toggle between various types of maps,
such as a road map, an aerial or satellite view, or a hybrid of the
two. In addition to the map interactions enabled by the control
240, the displayed map 230 can be further interacted with by
clicking, dragging or selecting sections of the map in the browser
display 200.
[0039] The web page comprising the map 230 and control 240, shown
in browser display 200, can be provided to the web browser 11 from
a map website 41, such as would be hosted by a map hosting device
40, shown in FIG. 1. Browser display 250 of FIG. 3 shows a second
web page comprising the same control 240, but a different digital
map 260. As can be seen, the digital map 260 comprises the elements
of digital map 230 and further comprises additional map-related
details in the form of a pictorial representation of the traffic
congestion along the three highways shown. The web page comprising
the map 260 with traffic details, and the control 240, that are
shown in browser display 250, can be provided to the web browser 11
from a custom map website 21.
[0040] In one embodiment, the web page comprising the map 260 can
take advantage of mechanisms provided by the map hosting device 40
to generate the map 260 by instructing the browser 11 to combine
the map information used to generate map 230 with the traffic
information. In such a case, the custom map hosting device 20 need
only obtain, store and maintain the traffic information, or
whatever other map details it seeks to provide. The underlying map
data can be the same data used to generate the map 230; namely the
data maintained by the map hosting device 40.
[0041] One common approach to generating the display of the map 230
is to initially create and store small sections of the map as
"tiles." Each tile is an image file that illustrates a predefined
geographic area. For example, one tile can provide map data for a
predefined square mile. Another tile can provide a greater amount
of map data, but may only cover 100 square yards. Mechanisms
implemented by the map website 41 determine, based on the zoom
level selected through the control 240, and the requested location,
which tiles to use to generate the map 230. Specifically, when the
user selects a particular location, and a particular zoom level,
mechanisms implemented by the map website 41 identify the tiles
that correspond to the selected location and that have an
appropriate level of detail and cover an appropriate amount of
geographic area for the selected zoom level. The identified tiles
are then transferred to the personal computing device 10, and are
pieced together by the web browser 11, according to instructions
received from the map website 41, to form a cohesive mosaic that
appears as a single continuous map, such as map 230.
[0042] In one embodiment, those same mechanisms can be provided by
the web hosting device 40 to external web pages, such as those that
comprise the custom map website 21, to enable those web pages to
overlay tiles comprising map details on top of the map tiles that
comprise the basic map 230. More specifically, the custom map
website 21 can utilize the same mechanisms that determines which of
the map tiles 60 to transmit to the browser 11 to also determine
which of the tiles of map details 50 to likewise transmit to the
browser 11. The custom map website 21 can also utilize mechanisms
hosted by the map hosting device 40 to instruct the browser 11 how
to visually combine the selected map tiles 60 with the selected
tiles of map details 50 so as to generate the map 260.
[0043] In order to provide for the proper selection of the tiles of
map details 50, the custom map website can comprise a manifest that
provides a declarative specification regarding the tiles of map
details 50 that can be used by the exported mechanisms of the map
hosting device 40 to select the appropriate tiles and instruct the
browser 11 as to their proper display. In one embodiment, such a
manifest can comprise the specification of the location of the
tiles of map details 50, the naming structure used to reference
individual tiles from among the tiles of map details, the format
used to describe the geographic location represented by an
individual tile from the among the tiles of map details, the
transparency to be used when the browser 11 displays the tile above
a tile from the map tiles 60, the boundaries, including zoom
boundaries and geographic boundaries, within which appropriate map
detail tiles can be found, and other analogous information.
[0044] The manifest is not limited to describing only a single
layer of map details, nor are the tiles of map details 50 limited
to a single set of such tiles. For example, the map 260 of FIG. 3
could include, not only an indication of traffic, but could also
include public transportation routes. In such a case, the map 260
can be a layered image composed of the map tiles 60 that display
the map 230 in addition to one layer of tiles from the tiles of map
details 50 directed to the traffic details shown, and a second
layer of tiles from the tiles of map details 50 that are directed
to the public transportation routes. The manifest can further
contain a specification of each layer, demarcating, for example,
between the tiles that comprise the traffic map details and the
tiles that comprise the public transportation map details. Such a
demarcation can comprise separate specifications of the
transparency of each layer, separate naming conventions used to
identify the tiles from each layer and other similar separately
specifiable values.
[0045] In one embodiment, the mechanisms, indicated above, provided
by the map hosting device 40, can be implemented in the form of one
or more scripts that can be interpreted and executed by the browser
11. More specifically, pointers to the scripts can be included in
web pages from the website 21, such that the browser 11, upon
parsing those web pages, would retrieve the scripts from the map
hosting device 40, and execute them. The scripts, in turn, can be
designed to access the manifest and, from the information contained
in the manifest, and from the map context, identify the tiles, from
among the tiles of map details 50, that are to be displayed by the
browser 11. The scripts additionally can instruct the browser 11 as
to the proper display of the tiles of map details 50, including,
for example, the imaging order in which the tiles are to be
displayed, and the transparency of each layer.
[0046] Turning to FIG. 4, a communicational flow diagram 300 is
shown illustrating the communications between the browser 11,
executing on the personal computing device 10, and the web site
hosting devices 20 and 40. Initially, a request 310 for a web page
directed to displaying a map with specific details can be made of
the custom map hosting device 20 by the web browser 11. In response
to such a request, the web page data 320 can be sent from the
custom map hosting device 20 to the web browser 11 on the personal
computing device 10. The web page data 320 can comprise pointers to
both the scripts being hosted by the map hosting device 40, and to
the manifest describing the one or more layers of map details
represented by the tiles of map details 50. In one embodiment, such
a manifest is implemented in the form of an eXtensible Markup
Language (XML) document with tags for, among other things, the
location of the tiles, the opacity with which they are to be
displayed, an identification of the layer of tiles if multiple
layers are to be used, and the ordering in which the layers of
tiles are to be stacked when generating the display.
[0047] Upon receiving the web page data 320, the browser 11 can
follow the pointers provided and can make a request 330 for the
scripts being hosted by the map hosting device 40. While the
requested scripts are hosted by the map hosting device 40, they are
provided to the browser 11, via communications 340, and are then
interpreted and executed by the browser on the personal computing
device 10. The scripts received by communications 340 instruct the
browser as to the appropriate combination of the map tiles 60 and
the tiles of map details 50. More specifically, the scripts
received by communications 340 initially reference the manifest
described above to verify that the manifest comprises the
information required by the scripts. Subsequently, the scripts can
obtain a map context indicating the current zoom level and the
current location of the map that is to be displayed by the browser
11. Such a map context can be provided by the browser 11 or by the
custom map web page data 320.
[0048] Once the scripts obtain the map context, they can, using the
information contained in the manifest, identify the specific tiles
from the tiles of map details 50 that are to be displayed by the
browser. For example, one way of specifying, in the manifest, both
the location of the tiles of map details 50, and the manner in
which they are to be referenced, is to provide a variable URL, such
as: http://tiles.mycompany.com/%4.png, where the "% 4" is a
variable that can be replaced with a value derived from the map
context. The map context, as indicated previously, provides an
indication of the current zoom level and geographic location that
is to be mapped. In one embodiment, such information can be
converted into a multi-part value using a predefined conversion
process. For example, zoom levels can be assigned numerical values
such that a zoom level of 1 represents the broadest view--for
example, of an entire continent--and each subsequent zoom level
value indicates the relative scope of that zoom level as compared
to the zoom level having a value of 1. Thus, a zoom level with a
value of 2 can have a scale twice as large as the zoom level with a
value of 1. Geographic locations can be assigned numerical values
based on commonly used geographic location identifiers, such as
longitude and latitude. Each of these numerical values can be
combined to form a multi-part value. For example, a map context
having a zoom level of 16 and centered at 42.1 decimal degrees
north latitude and 87.8 decimal degrees west longitude, can be
referenced by the multi-part value 16421878, with the first two
digits representing the zoom level, the subsequent three digits
representing the latitude in decimal degrees north, and the final
three digits representing the longitude in decimal degrees
west.
[0049] Once the map context is obtained, the scripts provided by
the map hosting device 40 can use it to identify specific tiles of
the tiles of map details 50 and specific tiles of the map tiles 60
that are to be displayed by the browser 11. As indicated
previously, the location of the tiles of map details 50, and the
manner in which they are to be referenced, can be specified by a
variable URL in the manifest provided by the custom map web page.
In one embodiment, the multi-part value representing the map
context can itself be used with the variable URL to identify an
appropriate tile. Returning to the above example, the network
address of a tile of map details representing an area centered at
42.1 decimal degrees north latitude and 87.8 decimal degrees west
longitude, and having a zoom value of 16, can be
http://tiles.mycompany.com/16421878.png. Thus, the script can
identify that tile, and the surrounding tiles, such as by
appropriately varying the value representing the map context, and
can instruct the browser 11 to obtain those tiles from among the
tiles of map details 50. The script can likewise identify the
relevant tiles from among the map tiles 60, though such an
identification can occur without reference to the manifest provided
by the custom map website 21 since the script provided by the map
hosting device 40 would already know how to select from among the
map tiles 60.
[0050] Turning back to FIG. 4, the web browser 11 is shown, via
communication 350, requesting the specified map tiles from the
tiles of map details 50 and the map tiles 60, which can then be
provided to the web browser 11 by the communications 360. Once the
web browser 11 has obtained the appropriate image tiles, the
browser can be instructed to assemble the tiles to form a coherent
map image comprising the details provided by the custom map website
21. Specifically, the scripts obtained via communication 320 can
reference the manifest provided by the custom map website 21 and
instruct the browser 11 to display the tiles in accordance with the
display priority and opacity specified. For example, as indicated
previously, the manifest can specify whether the tiles of map
details are displayed with complete opacity, such that the
underlying map tiles are wholly visible "through" the tiles of map
details, or displayed with no opacity, such that the map tiles are
not visible. Alternatively, some intermediate level of opacity can
be selected, such as, for example, by specifying a percentage of
opacity. In one embodiment, the web browser 11 itself comprises
sufficient instructions necessary to implement the required
graphical processing to simulate the appearance of the tiles of map
details above the map tiles with the specified level of opacity.
Additionally, if the tiles of map details 50 comprise multiple
layers, the manifest can specify a display priority, indicating
which of the layers should be prominent, such that it is
graphically presented as if it were "above" the other layer.
[0051] Turning to FIG. 5, a flow diagram 400 is shown, illustrating
the processing performed by the scripts obtained from the map
hosting device 40 via communications 320. Initially, once the
scripts have been received by the browser 11 and interpreted, they
can request, or otherwise obtain, a map context, as indicated by
step 410. The map context can be obtained from the browser 11, or
the custom map website 21, and can be used to identify which tiles,
from among the map tiles 60, are to be displayed by the browser. In
one embodiment, the identification of the map tiles to be displayed
based on the map context can take advantage of the existing
mechanisms that would have been used by the map website 41 when it
would display only the base map, without any of the details added
by the custom map website 21. For example, if identification of map
tiles by the map website 41 was performed by back-end controls
executing on the map hosting device 40, such back-end controls
could be used again, in step 420, to perform the same function,
namely: return the network addresses to the appropriate tiles from
among the map tiles 60. Alternatively, the identification of the
map tiles to be displayed based on the map context can be performed
by the script itself being executed by the browser 11, such as in
the manner described in detail above with reference to the tiles of
map details 50.
[0052] Once the appropriate map tiles, from among the map tiles 60,
have been identified at step 420, the appropriate map detail tiles
from among the tiles of map details 50 can be identified.
Initially, a check at step 430 can performed to determine if the
custom map website 21 uses its own mechanism for identifying detail
tiles from among the tiles of map details 50. Such a check can be
based on, for example, the setting of a tile path override
parameter within the web page. If the tile path override parameter
is not set, then the default mechanisms can be used as described
above, and as further described below in connection with the
remaining steps of flow diagram 400. However, if the tile path
override parameter specifies an alternative tile path generation
mechanism, then the script obtained from the map hosting device 40
can pass control to that mechanism at step 440. In one embodiment,
if the custom map website 21 uses its own mechanism for identifying
the detail tiles to be displayed, those tiles need not be generated
in advance and stored, such as the tiles of map details 50.
Instead, each tile can be generated in real-time as it is needed.
More specifically, because the custom map website 21 is not relying
on a process that converts a map context into an identifier of
already created tiles to be displayed, it can implement a custom
designed mechanism that converts the map context into a request for
one or more tiles having a specified zoom level and a specified
geographic coverage. Such a request can then be forwarded to a tile
generation mechanism that can, in response to the request, create
the requested tiles and provide them to the browser 11.
[0053] Turning back to FIG. 5, if, at step 430, it is determined
that there is no tile path override, and that the standard tile
path generation mechanisms should be used, the processing of the
script obtained from the map hosting device 40 can proceed to step
450, at which point it can reference the manifest to obtain the
bounds of the tiles of map details 50. The specifying of bounds can
be useful if the map details being provided by the custom map
website 21 are not applicable for every section of the digital map
provided by the map website 41. For example, turning back to FIG.
3, the traffic congestion details provided in map 260 may be
available for only the immediate metropolitan area and,
consequently, there may not be any tiles of map details 50 beyond
such a geographic area. The geographic limit of the tiles of map
details 50 can be specified in the manifest and referenced at step
450. If the map context references an area outside of the specified
bounds, as determined at step 460, then the processing performed by
the scripts obtained from the map hosting device 40 can end at step
499, as shown.
[0054] However, if it is determined at step 460 that the map
context references an area within the specified bounds, a
subsequent determination can be made at step 470 to verify that the
map context is within a zoom level for which there are tiles of map
details 50. As with the geographic bounds, the manifest can include
the zoom limits for which there exist tiles of map details 50.
While many map details can be applicable at all zoom levels,
others, such as satellite imagery, may have maximum zoom limits
beyond which no further detailed imagery exists. Similarly, other
map details, such as nature trails, may not have any meaning beyond
some minimum zoom limit, since the relevant area appears too small
to meaningfully distinguish the nature trails. Consequently, if it
is determined at step 470 that the map context is not within the
zoom levels specified in the manifest, the processing can end at
step 499, as shown.
[0055] If, however, step 470 determines that the map context is
within the specified zoom levels, then the scripts obtained from
the map hosting device 40 can, at step 480, generate paths to the
appropriate tiles of the tiles of map details 50, such as in the
manner described in detail above. As indicated above, the manifest
can include the specification of a variable URL and instructions
for converting a map context into specific file names that can
become part of the variable URL and can identify the tiles, from
among the tiles of map details 50, that are to be displayed
together with the map tiles identified at step 420. Once
identified, the browser 11 can be provided with the relevant path,
or URL, to those tiles at step 490. In addition, at step 490, the
browser 11 can be instructed how to display the specified tiles.
Specifically, the opacity of the specified tiles, and their display
priority can be obtained from the manifest, and preexisting display
functionality of the browser 11 can be used, in conjunction with
these parameters, to generate a map display having the details
added by the custom map website 21.
[0056] While the above descriptions focused on the display of map
tiles as two-dimensional images, they are equally applicable to
simulated three-dimensional map images. In one embodiment, the map
website 41 can include the ability to display simulated
three-dimensional images of the maps composed of map tiles 60. More
specifically, the map website 41 can comprise geographic elevation
information for the geographic areas represented by the map tiles
60 and can also comprise mechanisms for graphically simulating a
three-dimensional map image based this elevation information. Such
a simulated three-dimensional image can be generated by applying,
to the map tiles 60, known mathematical algorithms that have been
developed in the graphical arts. The image manipulation performed
by these mathematical algorithms can be based on the elevation
information for the geographic area represented by the map tiles,
and the "location" of the viewer from whose perspective the
three-dimensional map is being drawn.
[0057] Turning back to FIG. 3, the map control 240 is illustrated
as having a selection 241 for toggling a simulated
three-dimensional view. In one embodiment, the selection of such a
view causes the browser 11 to invoke a component, provided by the
map hosting device 40, that can access the elevation information
for the geographic area represented by the map 230 and perform the
mathematical manipulations to transform the two-dimensional images
that comprise map 230 into simulated three-dimensional images.
[0058] Detailed map 260 can likewise be distorted, based on the
elevation information for the geographic area represented by the
map 260, in order to simulate a three-dimensional view. The
component, provided by the map hosting device 40, that is used to
generate the three-dimensional view can be modified to accept, not
only tiles from the map tiles 60, but also corresponding detail
tiles from the tiles of map details 50. The component can then
combine the tiles in the same manner as they would have been
combined by the browser 11. For example, the component can apply
the specified opacity and display ordering to generate a
two-dimensional image much as the browser 11 would have. Once
generated, the two-dimensional image, comprising both the base map
and the details added by the custom map website 21, can be subject
to the same mathematical manipulations as the component previously
applied to only the map tiles 60, by themselves, in order to
generate simulated three-dimensional views.
[0059] Turning back to FIG. 5, to generate simulated
three-dimensional views of a map with the map details provided by
the custom map website 21, step 490 can be modified to provide the
path to the map detail tiles, and the display instructions, not to
the browser 11 as indicated, but rather to the control, provided by
the map hosting device 40. Step 420 can likewise be modified to
provide the path to the map tiles to the control and not to the
browser. Prior to providing such information to the control, a
check can first be made to ensure that the control has already
instantiated by the browser 11. If it has not, the browser 11 can
be instructed to instantiate the control. Once instantiated, the
control can manipulate an appropriate display area of the browser
11 and can generate the simulated three-dimensional images based on
the tiles indicated at steps 420 and 490, based on the display
instructions indicated at step 490, and based on elevation data
maintained by the map hosting device 40. Thus, if a user were to
click on, or otherwise perform a selection action on, the
three-dimensional selection 241, of the map control 240, the
browser 11 could instantiate the three-dimensional image generation
component from the map hosting device 40, and the scripts obtained
from the map hosting device could still perform the steps outlined
in FIG. 5, and described in detail above, with the exception of
steps 420 and 490, which could be performed in the alternative
manner just described.
[0060] The above descriptions focus on the mechanisms by which a
web page of the custom map website 21 can cause a web browser 11 to
display maps having specific details by merging tiles of map
details 50 with independently hosted map tiles 60. In some
circumstances, however, it may not be practical to create an entire
web page to present such maps having specific details. For example,
a user may wish to annotate a map for a very specific purpose, such
as indicating the route of a local parade, or marking locations
that the user has visited. In such cases, especially those having
small targeted audiences, the effort and expense of setting up a
website, such as the custom map website, may not be practical.
[0061] Consequently, in an alternative embodiment, the above
described mechanisms can be accessed by merely passing relevant
parameters as part of a URL. More specifically, the scripts hosted
by the map hosting device 40 can receive relevant parameters, not
by reading a manifest provided by the custom map website 21, as
described above, but from a "get" request specifying a URL that
comprises the relevant parameters. Such a URL can take the form of
a standard URL, specifying a host and file and path information on
that host, with the relevant parameters appended onto the end and
separated by a predetermined character, such as a tilde. In one
embodiment, the order of the parameters can be predetermined, such
that only the value of the parameter can be provided in the URL. In
an alternative embodiment, the order of the parameters appended to
the standard URL can be variable and, consequently, the parameters
can take the form of name-value pairs separated by predetermined
characters to clarify which parameter was assigned a given value.
Because some URLs can be limited in length, any parameter that is
not specified in the URL can be set to a default value when acted
upon by the mechanisms described above.
[0062] In one embodiment, a graphical user interface can aid the
user in the creation of an appropriately constructed URL that can
be used to access a map with the user's annotations. As above, the
map annotations can take the form of tiles of map details that can
be displayed with the map tiles 60 to render an annotated map.
Turning to FIG. 6, a browser screen 500 showing such a user
interface is illustrated. As before, the browser screen 500
comprises a navigation bar 510 and an address bar 520 for entering
locations and directing the browser to specific files.
[0063] The illustrated exemplary user interface aids the user in
generating a URL that specifies four parameters: tile location,
opacity, bounds, and zoom levels. Of course, any number of
parameters could be manipulated by interface elements presented to
the user. For the sake of simplicity of illustration, however, the
exemplary user interface of FIG. 6 provides for only four
parameters.
[0064] The location of the tiles of map details 50 that the user
desires to combine with the map tiles 60 can be specified using the
location of tiles user interface element 530. The location of the
tiles can be entered in a text box 531, either by having the user
manually enter the location directly into the text box, or by
having the user select the browse button 532 to select the location
of the tiles using more common user interface elements, such as a
standard "file open" dialog box. As with the manifest described
above, the location of the tiles can be specified in the form of a
variable pointer, such as a URL having a variable component that
can be changed to refer to different tiles, as dictated by the map
context.
[0065] Another parameter that can be modified by the user via the
graphical interface of FIG. 6 is the level of opacity 540 with
which the tiles of map details 50 are to be displayed when they are
layered on top of the map tiles 60. Such a parameter can vary
between "transparent" and "opaque", as shown by the slider field
541, and can be set by the location of the slider bar 542 in the
slider field.
[0066] A further parameter that can be set via the graphical
interface of FIG. 6 is the boundary of the tiles of map details
that are to be superimposed over the map tiles. As indicated above,
the specification of such bounds can improve the efficiency of the
rendering of the map by the browser 11, since the script will not
need to generate paths to tiles of map details if the user of the
browser has selected a geographic area beyond the bounds of the
tiles of map details 50. As with the location of the tiles 530, the
bounds 550 can be specified via a text entry field 551, either by
direct textual entry by the user, or through a more graphically
oriented approach, such as that exemplified by the "draw on map"
button 552. As suggested by its title, the "draw on map" button 552
can enable the user's selection of the bounds 550 via a graphical
interface that enables the user to merely select an area on a
displayed map as an indication of the bounds.
[0067] The final parameter that can be set by the exemplary user
interface shown in browser display 500 is a specification of the
minimum and maximum zoom levels for which tiles of map details 50
exist. As indicated above, the overall process can be rendered more
efficient if minimum and maximum zoom values are specified, since
the identification of tiles of map details can be avoided if the
current map context comprises a zoom level for which no tiles of
map details 50 exist. In the exemplary user interface shown in FIG.
6, the minimum and maximum zoom levels can be set via slider bars
563 and 564, respectively. Specifically, the minimum zoom level for
which tiles of map details 50 exists can be set by the relative
location of slider bar 563 along the slider field 561 and the
maximum zoom level for which tiles of map details 50 exists can be
set by the relative location of slider bar 564 along the slider
field 561. The intermediary zoom levels for which tiles of map
details 50 do exist, can be indicated via a variable area 562 along
the slider field 561.
[0068] As each of the parameters is selected through user interface
elements 530, 540, 550 and 560, a URL 570 can be automatically
created in the text field 571. Such a URL 570 can then be used to
request the display of a map with the details or annotations
provided by the user via the tiles of map details 50. As shown in
FIG. 6, each of the user interface elements 530, 540, 550 and 560
can correspond to an element of the URL. As indicated previously,
the URL 570 can comprise a standard URL with various parameters
appended to it using separation characters, such as tildes. Thus,
the URL 570 comprises a standard URL, the last part of which is
visible in FIG. 6, and subsequently comprises four parameters
separated by tildes. The first such parameter illustrated is the
location of tiles, which can be in the form of a variable URL.
Subsequently, following a tilde separation character, the opacity
parameter can be included. The penultimate parameter can be the
bounds of the tiles of map details 50, and the final parameter can
be the minimum and maximum zoom levels.
[0069] When the user enters a URL, such as the one generated in
text box 571, into a web browser address field 520, the web browser
11 can initiate a "get" request using the provided URL. This "get"
request can be directed to a computing device identified by the
initial portion of the entered URL, which, in one embodiment, can
be the map hosting device 40. Within the map hosting device 40,
such a "get" request can be routed to the map website 41, or other
server software for responding to such requests. The map website 41
can parse the requested URL and retrieve the appended parameters.
Rather than obtaining these parameters from the manifest, the above
described mechanisms, such as the scripts described in connection
with FIG. 5, can now obtain the appended parameters from the
parsing mechanisms of the map website 41. After receiving the
parameters, the scripts can operate as described above, and provide
the web browser 11 with the appropriate map tiles and tiles of map
details, and the appropriate display instructions. Thus, by making
a "get" request using an appropriately constructed URL, the browser
11 can ultimately display a map comprising details or annotations,
and a user can provide such a map to others by simply referencing
the appropriately constructed URL, and without setting up a custom
map website 21.
[0070] As can be seen from the above descriptions, a map hosting
device can provide mechanisms for enabling externally hosted map
details to be combined with maps hosted by the map hosting device
in order to deliver, to a user, digital maps having a broad range
of details. In view of the many possible variations of the subject
matter described herein, we claim as our invention all such
embodiments as may come within the scope of the following claims
and equivalents thereto.
* * * * *
References