Patent ID: 7308117
Filing Date: 2007-12-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for displaying and manipulating geographical information using World Wide Web technology, the steps comprising: (a) retrieving geographical map images from a geographical map image database, said geographical map image database being dedicated to storing a geographical raster map or satellite image therein, the geographical map images contain individual raster images of the map divided from a whole map sheet or the satellite image, wherein said geographical map images are raster data stored in said geographical map image database; (b) transforming the raster images into a wavelet data stream which is completely retransformable back to the original raster images; (c) compressing the wavelet data stream into a compressed data stream so that said raster data of said geographical map images is separated into layers by use of said wavelet data stream and compressed before being transmitted over a network; (d) transmitting the compressed data stream over the network to a client side; (e) decompressing the compressed data stream into the wavelet data stream; (f) retransforming the wavelet data stream into the raster images; (g) displaying the raster images using one of either a spatial information and map viewer or a spatial information and map editor, (h) analyzing a user requirement and sending a suitable query to a spatial database; (i) retrieving vector data from said spatial database for defining features of said geographical information other than geographical raster map images using metadata and geocode to identify coordinates for each of the geographical elements on the vector data corresponding to said other features of geographical information with said spatial database being dedicated to storing vector data and being a database separate and distinct from said geographical map image database; (j) editing the vector data using said spatial information and map editor; (k) storing the edited vector data in said spatial database; (l) storing the geographical raster map or satellite image in said geographical map image database; (m) displaying raster data on the spatial information and map viewer at the client side under control of the spatial information and map viewer, (n) zooming and/or panning the displayed image map of raster data; (o) rendering vector data from the spatial database to establish screen coordinates for said other features of geographical information; and (p) displaying the vector data at the screen coordinates on the map displayed from said geographical map image database.