Automated Production of Schematic Maps for Mobile Applications

The advent of high-end miniature technology, together with the increasing availability of large scale digital geographic data products, has created a demand for techniques and methodologies that assist in the automated generation of maps specifically tailored to mobile GIS applications. This paper concerns itself with the problem of automatic generation of schematic maps. Schematic maps are diagrammatic representations based on linear abstractions of networks. In the context of mobile mapping they are seen as being a particularly useful means of displaying transportation networks. This paper describes an algorithm that automates the production of schematic maps. The algorithm makes use of the simulated annealing optimisation technique. An implementation of the algorithm is also presented, together with experimental results.