A navigation system having a client device and a service center. The
client device is capable of transmitting a starting point and a
destination point from a user. The client device also includes a memory
having a memory limit. The service center is capable of receiving the
starting point and the destination point and calculates a route between
the starting point and the destination point. The service center further
is capable of generating and transmitting data associated with the
calculated route to the client device. However, before transmitting the
data, the service center makes a determination whether the size of the
data associated with the calculated route is greater than the memory
limit of the memory in the client device. If so, the data associated with
the calculated route is transmitted to the client device in a plurality
of segmented data files, each at a different time. The division of data
may take a variety of forms including a division by geographic area.
There is also a means for thinning data in geographic or coverage areas
having limited connectivity. Additionally, there is a method in the
service center to transmit information in segmented data files when the
data associated with the calculated route is greater than the memory
limit of the memory in the client device.