Versioned Change Propagation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016179841-A1
Application number	US-201414576869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A map developer may maintain multiple versions of a geographic database. Example systems and methods manage the propagation of updates to the multiple versions of the geographic databases even when structural (schema) changes have been made between database versions. A computing device identifies a first geographic database with a first schema, and the computing device identifies a second geographic database with a second schema. The second geographic database is a later version of the first geographic database. The computing device applies an update to the first geographic database and applies the update to the second geographic database according to a rule for a difference between the first schema and the second schema.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method comprising:
identifying, with a processor, a first geographic database; updating, with the processor, the first geographic database to a second geographic database at a first time with a schema change; updating, with the processor, the first geographic database to a third geographic database at a second time with a first map data change, wherein the second time is later than the first time; identifying a second map data change; propagating the second map data change to the third geographic database without the schema change; and propagating the second map data change to the second geographic database with the schema change.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the schema change is one or more addition or one or more deletion of a map attribute or a map attribute option.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the map attribute or the map attribute option is a navigable characteristic, a cartographic characteristic, a visual characteristics, or a point of interest characteristic.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the navigable characteristics includes a maneuver, a speed limit, a vehicle type, a slope, a lane width, or a lane quantity for a road segment.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second map data change is a value for the road attribute.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second map data change is propagated to the second geographic database from the third geographic database based on a rule.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the rule substitutes a constant value for a field in the schema change.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the rule substitutes an existing field in the first geographic database to a new field in the schema change.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
propagating the second map data change to a fourth geographic database having a second schema change.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a version history for the second geographic database and the third geographic database; and identifying the first database as a common ancestor based on the version history.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a schema transformation between the second geographic database and the first geographic database.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
identifying a conflict between the first map data change and the second map data change based on the schema transformation; and modifying the second map data change based on the conflict.

13 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform: identify a first geographic database with a first schema; identify a second geographic database with a second schema, wherein the second geographic database is a later version of the first geographic database; apply an update to the first geographic database; and apply the update to the second geographic database according to a rule for difference between the first schema and the second schema.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the rule instructs the processor to delete a portion of the update.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rule instructs the processor to change a value for a map attribute included in the update.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the value is set equivalent to an existing value in the first schema.

17 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the value is set to a default value.

18 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
access a version history for the first geographic database and the second geographic database; and identify a common ancestor database based on the version history.

19 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the rule is defined as a function of the common ancestor database.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to perform:
identifying a first geographic database with a first schema; identifying a second geographic database with a second schema, wherein the second geographic database is a later version of the first geographic database; applying an update to the first geographic database; and applying the update to the second geographic database according to a rule for difference between the first schema and the second schema.

Assignees

• Here Global Bv

Inventors

• Ford Paul
• Weiland Michael

Classifications

• G06F16/213

  with details for schema evolution support · CPC title

• G06F16/29 Primary

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G01C21/00

  Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 (measuring distance traversed on the ground by a vehicle G01C22/00; control of position, course, altitude or attitude of vehicles G05D1/00; traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title

• G06F17/30241 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30297

  Physics · mapped topic