Patent ID: 7778967

Claim:
A system for efficient management of distributed spatial data, different portions of the spatial data stored in each of a plurality of spatial data sources in any of a plurality of data formats, each spatial data source connected to one of a plurality of networks, the system comprising: a plurality of spatial data servers, each spatial data server deployed next to and connected to a different one of the spatial data sources, for: transmitting spatial data using a common spatial data exchange protocol; building hierarchical spatial data indices; updating the indices automatically whenever spatial data sets are modified; and forwarding spatial data responsive to an update of the spatial data; a plurality of spatial meta servers, each connected to one or more spatial data servers via one of the networks, for: publishing the existence of specified spatial data on any of the spatial data servers to which it is connected; defining access permissions for the published spatial data; and communicating with other spatial meta severs for extending connectivity and spatial data publication to the other networks; and a plurality of spatial data providers, each connected to one of a plurality of network clients, for: allowing the network client to discover the spatial data; and accessing spatial data directly from the spatial data servers.