Apple Inc.

Jeffrey H Hultquist

Christopher Blumenberg

Billy P Chen

Patrick Steven Piemonte

Aroon Pahwa

Robert R Cook

Edward Kandrot

Methods and systems are provided for efficiently identifying map tiles of a raised-relief map to retrieve from a server. An electronic device can use estimates of height(s) for various region(s) of the map to determine map tiles that are likely viewable from a given position of a virtual camera. The device can calculate the intersection of the field of view of the virtual camera with the estimated heights to determine a location of the map tiles (e.g., as determined by a 2D grid) needed. In this manner, the electronic device can retrieve, from a map server, the map tiles needed to display the image, without retrieving extraneous tiles that are not needed. Identifying such tiles can reduce the amount of data to be sent across a network and reduce the number of requests for tiles, since the correct tiles can be obtained with the first request.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Jeffrey H Hultquist