Image mapping to provide visual geographic path

• US 20060198550A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Location Based Services, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Robert W., Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Provided is a computer system and method for mapping a visual path. The method includes receiving one or more images included in a predefined area; receiving one or more parameters associated with the image; and integrating the images and parameters into a map of the predefined area to enable mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more -input path parameters.

Claims

1. A method for mapping a visual path, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images of a predefined area;

receiving one or more parameters associated with the one or more images; and

integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area; and

mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sequentially displaying the visual path of the one or more images on a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters includes wirelessly receiving a location parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters;

receiving a timing parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters, the timing parameter identifying a periodicity for collecting the one or more images; and

receiving an identification of a user as one or the one or more input path parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving an image history taken from one or more public cameras and/or one or more private cameras.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

connecting to a server operably couplable to a mobile device to wirelessly receive the one or more images.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters includes:

enabling a user of one or a fixed and/or a mobile device to display the visual path.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving at least one current image.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area includes:

receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving at least one current image.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

taking the action with respect to the object, the action including one or more of highlighting the object, removing the object, and/or altering the object.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object includes:

matching the object to a person.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object includes:

matching the object to a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with the class of persons.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the input path parameters, the input path parameters including at least one location or at least one timing parameter.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area includes:

combining the one or more images through an image stitching operation.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area includes:

correlating a time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for displaying and/or retrieving the one or more images for the visual path.

17. A method for a display device to receive a mapped visual path, the method comprising:

transmitting a request for the mapped visual path, the request including one or more input path parameters associated with the mapped visual path; and

receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sequentially displaying the mapped visual path of the one or more images according to a time parameter.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the transmitting a request for the mapped visual path, the request including one or more input path parameters associated with the mapped visual path includes:

transmitting a location parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters;

transmitting a time parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters, the time parameter identifying a periodicity for the one or more images; and

transmitting an identification of a user of the mobile device as one or the one or more input path parameters.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters includes receiving the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including an integration of an image history taken from one or more public cameras and/or one or more private cameras and the one or more input path parameters.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters includes:

connecting to a server operably couplable to a mobile device to wirelessly receive the one or more images.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters includes:

transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object includes:

transmitting the identifier, the identifier indicative of one or more of highlighting the object, removing the object, and/or altering the object.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object includes:

transmitting the identifier to enable matching the object to a person and/or a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with the person and/or the class of persons.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters includes:

displaying the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including the one or more images after a stitching operation is performed on the one or more images.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters includes:

displaying the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area.

27. A computer program product comprising:

a signal bearing medium bearing one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area;

one or more instructions for receiving one or more parameters associated with the one or more images; and

one or more instructions for integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area; and

one or more instructions for mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a recordable medium.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises:

a transmission medium.

30. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

one or more instructions for sequentially displaying the visual path of the one or more images on a mobile device.

32. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area include:

one or more instructions for receiving an image history taken from one or more public cameras and/or one or more private cameras.

33. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area include:

one or more instructions for connecting to a server operably couplable to a mobile device to wirelessly receive the one or more images.

34. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the one or more instructions for mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters includes:

one or more instructions for enabling a user of one or a fixed and/or a mobile device to display the visual path.

36. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the one or more instructions for integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area include:

one or more instructions for receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 further comprising:

one or more instructions for taking the action with respect to the object, the action including one or more of highlighting the object, removing the object, and/or altering the object.

38. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object include:

one or more instructions for matching the object to a person.

39. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more mages, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object include:

one or more instructions for matching the object to a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with the class of persons.

40. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

one or more instructions for receiving the input path parameters, the input path parameters including at least one location or at least one timing parameter.

41. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

one or more instructions for combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area.

31. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

42-57. -57. (canceled)