Map generalization functions to visualize the spatial data or to change their scale by changing the level of details of data. Until recently, the studies on map generalization have concentrated more on line features than on point features. However, po...
Map generalization functions to visualize the spatial data or to change their scale by changing the level of details of data. Until recently, the studies on map generalization have concentrated more on line features than on point features. However, point features are one of the essential components of digital maps and cannnot be ignored because of the great amount of information they carry. This study, therefore, aimed to find out a detailed procedure of point features' generalization. Particularly, this work chose the distribution pattern of point features as the most important factor in the point generalization in investigating the geometric characteristics of source data. First, it attempted to find out the characteristics of distribution pattern of point features through quadrat analysis with Grieg-Smith method and nearest-neighbour analysis. It then generalized point features through the generalization threshold which did not alter the characteristics of distribution pattern and the removal of redudant point feautres. Therefore, the generalization procedure of point features provided by this work maintained the geometric characteristics as much as possible.