PROVIDING INDOOR MAP DATA TO A CLIENT COMPUTING DEVICE
A map data server may provide map data to a client device by generating a description of a geographic area that includes outdoor map features including a multi-story building. The multi-story building includes a “default” floor. The map data server may also provide data to the client device to graphically represent the indoor features of the default floor in the description of the geographic area. The indoor map features may be annotated to allow the client device to selectively activate or deactivate the display of the indoor map features.
1 . A method in a network server for providing map data including outdoor map features and indoor map features to a client device, the method comprising:
receiving, from the client device, a request for map data for a specified geographic area and a specified zoom level;
retrieving outdoor map features for the requested geographic area and the zoom level, wherein the outdoor map features correspond to externally visible physical entities;
determining that the outdoor map features include a map feature corresponding to a multi-floor building;
determining a default floor for the multi-floor building;
retrieving indoor map features for the default floor, wherein the indoor map features correspond to physical entities, are disposed on the default floor of the multi-floor building, and each include an indoor map indicator; and
providing the outdoor map features and the indoor map features for the default floor to the client device in response to the received request;
wherein the client device is configured to selectively display the indoor map features based on the indoor map indicator.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the network server modifying the indoor map indicator in vector data including the indoor map features, the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the client device includes an indoor data management module configured to process the indoor map indicator of the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the client device is further configured to display selectable option at the client device to display or not display the provided indoor map features according to the indoor map indicator.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a collection of separate outdoor data structures that each include one or more of a vector-based description of an externally-visible physical entity, text-based label data, and metadata, the metadata including a unique identifier of an indoor data structure storing the indoor map data.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a rasterized description of an externally-visible physical entity and metadata, the metadata including coordinates for a location within the rasterized description of the externally-visible physical entity, the location corresponding to a graphical representation of the indoor map data.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the provided outdoor map data includes a logical link to the indoor map data.
8 . A mapping system configured to provide map data including outdoor map features and indoor map features to a client device, the system comprising:
a remote mapping server including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executed on the processor to:
receive, from the client device, a request for map data for a specified geographic area and a specified zoom level;
retrieve outdoor map features for the requested geographic area and the zoom level, wherein the outdoor map features correspond to externally visible physical entities;
determine that the outdoor map features include a map feature corresponding to a multi-floor building;
determine a default floor for the multi-floor building;
retrieve indoor map features for the default floor, wherein the indoor map features correspond to physical entities, are disposed on the default floor of the multi-floor building, and each include an indoor map indicator; and
provide the outdoor map features and the indoor map features for the default floor to the client device in response to the received request.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the memory includes a further instruction executed on the processor to modify the indoor map indicator in vector data including the indoor map features, the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the memory includes a further instruction executed on the processor to process the indoor map indicator of the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the further instruction executed on the processor to process the indoor map indicator of the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request includes a further instruction executed on a processor of the client device to display a selectable option at the client device to display or not display the provided indoor map features according to the indoor map indicator.
12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a collection of separate outdoor data structures that each include one or more of a vector-based description of an externally-visible physical entity, text-based label data, and metadata, the metadata including a unique identifier of an indoor data structure storing the indoor map data.
13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a rasterized description of an externally-visible physical entity and metadata, the metadata including coordinates for a location within the rasterized description of the externally-visible physical entity, the location corresponding to a graphical representation of the indoor map data.
14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the provided outdoor map data includes a logical link to the indoor map data.
15 . A tangible computer-readable medium including non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for providing map data including outdoor map features and indoor map features to a client device, the instructions to:
receive, from the client device, a request for map data for a specified geographic area and a specified zoom level;
retrieve outdoor map features for the requested geographic area and the zoom level, wherein the outdoor map features correspond to externally visible physical entities;
determine that the outdoor map features include a map feature corresponding to a multi-floor building;
determine a default floor for the multi-floor building;
retrieve indoor map features for the default floor, wherein the indoor map features correspond to physical entities, are disposed on the default floor of the multi-floor building, and each include an indoor map indicator; and
provide the outdoor map features and the indoor map features for the default floor to the client device in response to the received request.
16 . The tangible computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising an instruction to modify the indoor map indicator in vector data including the indoor map features, the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request.
17 . The tangible computer readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions to:
process the indoor map indicator of the vector data provided to the client device in response to the received request; and
display a selectable option at the client device to display or not display the provided indoor map features according to the indoor map indicator.
18 . The tangible computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a collection of separate outdoor data structures that each include one or more of a vector-based description of an externally-visible physical entity, text-based label data, and metadata, the metadata including a unique identifier of an indoor data structure storing the indoor map data.
19 . The tangible computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the provided outdoor map data further includes a rasterized description of an externally-visible physical entity and metadata, the metadata including coordinates for a location within the rasterized description of the externally-visible physical entity, the location corresponding to a graphical representation of the indoor map data.
20 . The tangible computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the provided outdoor map data includes a logical link to the indoor map data.