Patent ID: 7184572

Claim:
A method of accessing information from a map, said map depicting a first geolocation including first steganographic encoding therein, and a second, different geolocation including second, different steganographic encoding therein, said method comprising: obtaining first data associated with the first area and second data associated with the second area; decoding the first steganographic encoding associated with the depicted first geolocation, wherein the first steganographic encoding encodes a first plural-bit identifier that is associated with the first geolocation, wherein said decoding the first steganographic encoding yields the first plural-bit identifier, said first steganographic encoding comprising subtle alterations to at least some data representing at least a portion of the first geolocation; decoding the second steganographic encoding associated with the depicted second geolocation, wherein the second steganographic encoding encodes a second plural-bit identifier that is associated with the second geolocation, wherein said decoding the second steganographic encoding yields the second plural-bit identifier, said second steganographic encoding comprising subtle alterations to at least some data representing at least a portion of the second geolocation; using the first plural-bit identifier to access first information pertaining to the first geolocation; and using the second plural-bit identifier to access second information pertaining to the second geolocation.