Apple patents 3D map overlays that highlight areas of interest
Apple describes a method for adding colored 3D bands to digital maps to make specific areas stand out. The system generates these overlays dynamically and uses mesh connectivity data to improve performance while displaying the map.
In the filing’s own words
Areas of interest on three-dimensional maps can be made visually distinct using three-dimensional tint band meshes that overlay other three-dimensional meshes, for example three-dimensional meshes providing terrain, elevation, and infrastructure data. Characteristics of the three-dimensional tint band meshes may be dynamically updated for visual distinctiveness. When overlaying three-dimensional tint band meshes, the overlay operation can use connectivity information of the three-dimensional meshes to increase performance.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: receiving, by a computing system, a first three-dimensional mesh corresponding to a portion of a map and configured to be presented and to replace a presentation of a second three-dimensional mesh; generating, by the computing system, a first overlay to be draped over the first three-dimensional mesh, the first overlay corresponding to a second overlay draped over the second three-dimensional mesh; identifying, by the computing system, a third three-dimensional mesh to present while the first overlay is being generated, the third three-dimensional mesh corresponding to the first three-dimensional mesh; presenting, by the computing system, the third three-dimensional mesh and the third overlay while the first overlay is being generated; and presenting, by the computing system, the first overlay and the first three-dimensional mesh.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- TECHNIQUES FOR GENERATING AND APPLYING 3D TINT BANDS TO A MAP
- Publication number
- US20260260425A1
- Application number
- 19653743
- Filed
- Apr 21, 2026
- Published
- Sep 3, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06T 17/20 Physics & computingG06T 17/05 Physics & computingG06F 16/29 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.