Abstract
Abstract. One major challenge in creating indoor maps involves defining their levels of detail or LODs. While a consensus has emerged that indoor maps have at least two types of LODs, semantic and geometric, questions remain regarding their nature, their partitioning, and their relationships with each other as well as with other forms of LOD. Since semantics deals with the meanings of things, semantic LODs (SLODs) deal with the definition, classification, and partitioning of mapped entities. Unlike geometric LODs that are amenable to automation, SLODs have a more qualitative nature that defies automation and requires the careful application of human judgment. This paper proposes a framework for organizing semantic LODs by first classifying them based on the tangibility of mapped entities (i.e., intangible open spaces versus tangible physical features comprised of building structures and equipment and furnishings) and then partitioning each class based on the idea of permanence, defined here as an entity’s tendency to remain stationary over time. A cartographic process for integrating SLODs with geometric and appearance LODs is also introduced along with several examples.
Highlights
Cartographic level of detail, or LOD, describes the amount and type of graphical information that a map reveals at various views, scales, or “zoom” levels
This demand has led to technological and methodological advancements that are making indoor maps increasingly accessible—such as through building information modeling (BIM)-GIS2 integration, precise indoor positioning, 3D indoor reality capture, web mapping, and integration into autonomous mobility devices—but the subject of indoor LODs remains largely unaddressed beyond a handful of studies for improving indoor LOD support in the City Geography Markup Language (CityGML)
This study builds on those CityGML-related works but expands the scope beyond CityGML to examine fundamental LOD principles for use in a wider range of indoor cartographic applications
Summary
Cartographic level of detail, or LOD, describes the amount and type of graphical information that a map reveals at various views, scales, or “zoom” levels. This demand has led to technological and methodological advancements that are making indoor maps increasingly accessible—such as through BIM-GIS2 integration, precise indoor positioning, 3D indoor reality capture, web mapping, and integration into autonomous mobility devices—but the subject of indoor LODs remains largely unaddressed beyond a handful of studies for improving indoor LOD support in the City Geography Markup Language (CityGML).
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