The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 23, 2001
Jeremy A. Kenyon, Kirkland, WA (US);
Mark N. Law, Victoria, CA;
WildTangent, Inc., Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for distributing and displaying maps is disclosed. The method involves delivery of maps that are not dynamically generated. The area serviced by a map server is divided into fixed zones for which there are static map tiles. When a map is requested by a user, the location of interest is sent to the server by the user via the users client. The server determines which of a plurality of preexisting map tiles contained the location of interest submitted by the client. A central map tile, from this plurality of preexisting maps, containing the location of interest is sent to the client from the map server. The server may also send preexisting map tiles of the zones immediately adjacent to the zone represented in the central map tile. The server may also support a “mini-map” to facilitate user panning of the “greater area”, and points of interest, including multi-media descriptions of the points of interest.