Google Inc.

Thomas Gregory Nourse

Hans-olav Cavelie

Ronghui Zhu

Charles Mendis

Andrew Miller

Michael Siliski

A pre-fetching map data system and method identifies a subset of map data to corresponding to one or more points of interest to be displayed on the map. The map data is stored on a remote map database and in the form of map data tiles. The system identifies those map data tiles that correspond to the subset of map data corresponding to the one or more points of interest, where the identified pre-fetch map data tiles are sent from the remote database to a client device for cache storage. The pre-fetch map data tiles are identified using a variable map tile radius, which when extended from the points of interest defines the map tiles that qualify as pre-fetch map data tiles. The tile radius can be fixed or dynamically adjusted and changes across different map zoom levels.

Pre-fetching map data using variable map tile radius

A computer-implemented method and system for pre-fetching remote resource data from a remote mapping system for display on a client computing device is disclosed. Data received at a client device from an online mapping system in response to a query from the client device includes vector and remote resource data. Vector data is rasterized by the client device to depict graphical elements that are easily described by mathematical formulas. Remote resource data includes digital map elements that are not easily described by vectors, but instead, must be relayed to the client device as either bitmaps or references (e.g., URLs) to remote resources that are resolved at the backend or the client device. This remote resource data is prefetched to a client device so that it will be available for subsequent mapping application searches without resolving a corresponding reference to the remote resource data for each search.

Method and apparatus for pre-fetching remote resources for subsequent display on a mobile computing device

A pre-fetching map data system and method identifies a subset of map data to corresponding to one or more points of interest to be displayed on the map. The map data is stored on a remote map database in map data tiles. The pre-fetching map data system identifies those map data tiles that correspond to the one or more points of interest, where the identified pre-fetch map data tiles are sent from the remote database to a client device for cache storage. The number of pre-fetch map data tiles are determined using a tile budget that is dynamically adjusted in response to changing conditions on a client device.

Dynamically determining a tile budget when pre-fetching data in a client device

A computer-implemented method and system for pre-fetching label and place page data from a remote, backend mapping system, and subsequently displaying the pre-fetched data, is disclosed. User activity data generated by execution of an application on the mobile device may be analyzed to determine geographic locations that indicate places the user is likely to be in the future. The user activity data may be analyzed at either the frontend or the backend to determine these geographic locations. Label and place page data corresponding to the geographic locations may then be retrieved from the mapping system and stored in a cache memory of the mobile computing device. The label and place page data may describe map features and include plain text, a data feed, or a URL. During periods of reduced connectivity to the mapping system, the mobile device may retrieve the stored label and place page data from the cache memory.

Method and apparatus for pre-fetching place page data based upon analysis of user activities

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on an analysis of the historical uses of a mapping module at that device. A user mapping activity module executing on the mobile device may retrieve user mapping activity data. The module may then extract geographic location data from the user mapping activity data and send the extracted data to a mapping system via a network connection. The mapping system may then match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data and send the matched data to the mobile computing device for cache storage at the mobile computing device. The user mapping activity module may also analyze the user mapping activity data to determine whether the extracted geographic location data is relevant enough to warrant pre-fetching the tile data.

Map tile data pre-fetching based on mobile device generated event analysis

A pre-fetching map data system and method identifies a subset of map data to corresponding to one or more points of interest to be displayed on the map. The map data is stored on a remote map database in map data tiles. The pre-fetching map data system identifies those map data tiles that correspond to the one or more points of interest, where the identified pre-fetch map data tiles are sent from the remote database to a client device for cache storage. The number of pre-fetch map data tiles are determined using a tile budget, such as a maximum number of map data tiles that may be stored on the client device or a maximum amount of map data memory that can be consumed on the client device.

Pre-fetching map data based on a tile budget

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on an analysis of the historical uses of a mapping module at that mobile device. The mobile device may retrieve user mapping activity data and extract geographic location data from the mapping activity data. This geographic location data may then be used to retrieve map tile data that is related to another request for map tile data. This related map tile data may then be stored in cache storage to be retrieved during periods of reduced communication with a map tile server or other periods.

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a smart phone or other mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on device activities. For example, a user activity system may receive user activity data from the mobile device. The user activity system may then extract geographic location data from the user activity data and send the geographic location data to a mapping system via a network connection. The mapping system may then match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user activity data and send the matched map tile data to the mobile computing device for cache storage at the mobile computing device. The user activity system may also analyze the user activity data to determine whether the extracted geographic location data is relevant enough to warrant pre-fetching the tile data.

Map tile data pre-fetching based on user activity analysis

Map tile data for displaying graphic elements of a web-based mapping system in a mobile computing device may be pre-fetched to the device based on an analysis of the historical uses of a mapping module at that mobile device. For example, module executing on the mobile device may retrieve user mapping activity data. The user mapping activity module may then extract geographic location data and send the geographic location data to a mapping system via a network connection. The mapping system may then match map tile data to the geographic location data extracted from the user mapping activity data and send the matched mapping system data to the mobile computing device for cache storage. The user mapping activity module may also analyze the user mapping activity data to determine whether the extracted geographic location data is relevant enough to warrant pre-fetching the tile data.

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Half Moon Bay, CA, United States of America

Thomas Gregory Nourse