Apple patents map fix that shrinks buildings to clear roads
This patent describes a method for fixing map errors where building shapes overlap with roads. The system identifies these overlaps and automatically shrinks the building shape from a specific point until it no longer intersects the road, ensuring a clean map view.
In the filing’s own words
Techniques described herein are used to identify buildings that intersect or otherwise overlap a road, and independently scaling the buildings until they no longer overlap. For example, a computer system may identify an intersection condition corresponding to an intersection between a first polygon of a first type and a second polygon of a second type. The first polygon may include a set of edges connected by a set of vertexes. The computer system may select a first pivot point for the first polygon, which includes a vertex of the set of vertexes or a midpoint of one edge of the set of edges. The computer system may perform an iterative scaling operation. The computer system may determine, based on the iterative scaling operation, a polygon transformation that avoids the intersection condition. The computer system may cause rendering, on a display, of a map view that includes the polygon transformation.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: identifying an intersection condition corresponding to an intersection between a first polygon of a first type and a second polygon of a second type, the first polygon comprising a set of edges connected by a set of vertexes; selecting a first pivot-heading pair for the first polygon, the first pivot-heading pair comprising a vertex of the set of vertexes or a midpoint of one edge of the set of edges; performing an iterative scaling operation comprising at least one of: scaling the first polygon with respect to a first pivot-heading in a first dimension corresponding to a first heading of the first pivot-heading pair; or scaling the first polygon with respect to the first pivot-heading in a second dimension corresponding to a second heading of the first pivot-heading pair; determining, based on the iterative scaling operation, a polygon transformation that avoids the intersection condition; and causing rendering, on a display, of a map view that includes the polygon transformation.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Map data adjustments for anomaly correction
- Patent number
- US12742655B2
- Application number
- 18677615
- Filed
- May 29, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 19
Classified under
G01C 21/3826 Physics & computingG01C 21/3867 Physics & computingG01C 21/3881 Physics & computingG06T 17/05 Physics & computingG06T 17/20 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.