MANAGING MAP ELEMENTS USING AGGREGATE FEATURE IDENTIFIERS

摘要

A computer-implemented method for providing map data to a client device via a communication network includes generating map data that conforms to a non-raster format and is for rendering a raster map image of a geographic area at the client device. The raster map image includes several map elements, each corresponding to a respective physical entity or a portion of a physical entity in the geographic area. The method also includes generating a description of a map feature that includes two or more of several map elements and does not include at least one of the several map elements, where the map elements included in the map feature correspond to related physical entities or portions of a same physical entity. Generating a description of the map feature includes providing an indication of a portion of the map data that corresponds to the map feature providing a map feature identifier that uniquely identifies the map feature. The method further includes causing the map data and the description of the map feature to be transmitted to the client device via a communication network.