METHOD OF GENERATING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL INTERACTIVE TOUR OF A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

• US 20080033641A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael Medalia
• Original Assignee: Michael Medalia
• Inventors: Medalia, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/782,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)

Abstract

A method of the present invention provides a user with an interactive virtual representation of a geographic location expressed to the user through a three-dimensional or a two dimensional representations and combination thereof generated by a system controlled by an operator. The method creates an interactive virtual tour of the geographic location by correlating a two-dimensional map with a three-dimensional representation of an interactive model to allow the user to synchronously navigate through the two-dimensional map and the interactive model in different directions.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive virtual representation of a geographic location expressed through at least one of a three-dimensional and a two dimensional representation and combinations thereof generated by at least one of an operator and a user;

said method comprising the steps of;

creating first images of the geographic location expressed to the user through a two-dimensional map to allow the user to navigate along the two-dimensional map in different directions;

creating second images of the geographic location expressed to the user through a three-dimensional representation allowing the user to selectively navigate along the three-dimensional representation in different directions whereby the three-dimensional representation is externally introduced to the system as an interactive model;

storing the first images and the second images in a searchable format; and

creating an interactive virtual tour of the geographic location by correlating the two-dimensional map with the three-dimensional representation of the interactive model enabling the user to conduct an internet search by geographic location thereby identifying places of interest associated with the geographic location depicted by the first and second images.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, including the step of monitoring the geographic location and storing the interactive model at the geographic location.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the step of allowing the user to select at least one area of the geographic location to perform an action within the at least one area selected by the user.

4. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of selecting at least one area of the at least one geographic location is further defined by selecting an indoor location and an outdoor location and identifying actions associated with the indoor and outdoor locations available to the user.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the step of selecting the geographic location is further defined by selecting at least one location of interest proximate the selected geographic location with the at least one location being a commercial establishment and a non-commercial establishment.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of selecting at least one location of interest is further defined by displaying a virtual three-dimensional representation of the inside and the outside of the commercial establishment and the non-commercial establishment selected by the user.