Proximity-Base Detail Reduction of Geographic Data

Abstract

A system and method for storing a plurality data points, each data point representing a geographic location, a first set of data points representing a first geometric object and a second set of data points representing a second geometric object. The system and method then remove a first data point from the first set of data points representing the first geometric object based on at least a distance between a first location represented by the first data point and a second location represented by a second data point of the second set of data points representing a second geometric object.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A system, comprising:
 a data storage mechanism that stores data points, wherein each data point comprises of a latitudinal and longitudinal coordinate; and   a processor that executes instructions to cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:
 removing a first data point from a first set of the data points based on i) a first distance between a first coordinate represented by the first data point and a second coordinate represented by a second data point of a second set of the data points, ii) a second distance between the first coordinate represented by the first data point and a third coordinate represented by a third data point of the first set of data points, and iii) a relationship between the first and second distances. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the first set of data points represents a first geometric object and the second set of data points represents a second geometric object. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating a viewable display including the first geometric object without the first data point; and   generating the viewable display including the second geometric object.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a display displaying the viewable display of the first and second geometric objects.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein a value of one of the first distance, the second distance or the relationship between the first and second distances is based on a level of detail reduction of the first geometric object in the viewable display. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein after the first data point is removed, the first set of data points are re-stored in the data storage mechanism without the first data point. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 removing a fourth data point from the first set of data points based on i) a third distance between a fourth coordinate represented by the fourth data point and a fifth coordinate represented by a fifth data point of the second set of data points, ii) a fourth distance between the fourth coordinate represented by the fourth data point and a sixth coordinate represented by a sixth data point of the first set of data points, and iii) a relationship between the third and fourth distances.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the second data point and the fifth data point are the same data points. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the removing processes are repeated until a desired level of detail reduction of the first geometric object is achieved. 
     
     
         33 . A method, comprising:
 storing a plurality of data points, wherein each data point comprises of a latitudinal and longitudinal coordinate;   removing a first data point from a first set of data points based on i) a first distance between a first coordinate represented by the first data point and a second coordinate represented by a second data point of a second set of data points, ii) a second distance between the first coordinate represented by the first data point and a third coordinate represented by a third data point of the first set of data points, and iii) a relationship between the first and second distances.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first set of data points represents a first geometric object and the second set of data points represents a second geometric object. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the removing is further based on a dynamic threshold value, the dynamic threshold value being set based on a zoom level at which the first and second geometric objects are to be displayed. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 generating a viewable display including the first geometric object without the first data point; and   generating the viewable display including the second geometric object.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication defining the second geometric object as a directorial object.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the removing is based on the following formula:
   ∥( P   n   ,P   last )|> T *ln(1+∥( P   n   ,O )∥),
   where Pn is the first data point, Plast is a further data point of the first geometric object, T is a threshold value and O is the second data point.   
     
     
         39 . A method, comprising:
 determining a first distance between a first location represented by a first data point of a first set of data points and a second location represented by a second data point of the first set of data points, wherein each data point represents a latitude and longitude coordinate;   determining a second distance between the first location and a third location represented by a third data point of the second set of data points; and   determining a relationship between the first and second distances.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein each set of data points is organized into a geometric object. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the relationship between the first and second distances is determined based on the following formula:
   ∥( P   n   ,P   last )|> T *ln(1+∥( P   n   ,O )∥),
   where Pn is the first data point, Plast is the second data point, T is a threshold value and O is the third data point.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 removing the first data point from the first set of data points based on the relationship between the first and second distances;   determining, when the first data point is removed from the first set of data points, a third distance between a fourth location represented by a fourth data point of the first set of data points and the second location;   determining a fourth distance between the fourth location and the third location; and   determining a further relationship between the third and fourth distances, wherein the fourth data point is one of removed from the first set of data points and maintained in the first set of data points based on the further relationship between the third and fourth distances.   
     
     
         43 . The non-transitory memory of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises:
 maintaining the first data point in the first set of data points based on the relationship between the first and second distances;   determining, when the first data point is maintained in the first set of data points, a third distance between a fourth location represented by a fourth data point of the first set of data points and the first location;   determining a fourth distance between the fourth location and the third location; and   determining a further relationship between the third and fourth distances, wherein the fourth data point is one of removed from the first set of data points and maintained in the first set of data points based on the further relationship between the third and fourth distances.