Simultaneous & topologically-safe line simplification for a variable-scale planar partition

Abstract

We employ a batch generalization process for obtaining a variable-scale planar partition. We describe an algorithm to simplify the boundary lines after a map generalization operation (either a merge or a split operation) has been applied on a polygonal area and its neighbours. The simplification is performed simultaneously on the resulting boundaries of the new polygonal areas that replace the areas that were processed. As the simplification strategy has to keep the planar partition valid, we define what we consider to be a valid planar partition (among other requirements, no zero-sized areas and no unwanted intersections in the boundary polylines). Furthermore, we analyse the effects of the line simplification for the content of the data structures in which the planar partition is stored. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.