DISPLAYING IMAGES RELATED TO A REQUESTED PATH

• US 20080120023A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: OFEK, EYAL
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A system, method and computer-readable media are disclosed for displaying images corresponding to a path. The method can include downloading a path and one or more images corresponding to positions along the path, wherein the downloaded images are actual images of an environment near the corresponding positions. Additionally, the method can include detecting a position of a mobile device, and providing the downloaded images as the mobile device moves to the corresponding detected positions along the path.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for displaying images corresponding to a path, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a path;

retrieving one or more images corresponding to one or more positions along the path, wherein the one or more images are actual images of an environment near the corresponding positions; and

transmitting the path and the one or more corresponding images to a mobile device.

2. The media according to claim 1, wherein the actual images are captured by an image-capturing device.

3. The media according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is at least one of a navigation system, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, and a laptop.

4. The media according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting multimedia data that is related to the one or more images.

5. The media according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting at least one image not related to the positions along the path when the mobile device diverts away from the path, wherein the at least one image is an actual image of the environment where the mobile device is currently located.

6. The media according to claim 1, further comprising:

periodically receiving one or more items of position data related to a mobile device as the mobile device moves; and

transmitting one or more images corresponding to the one or more received items of position data, wherein the one or more transmitted images are actual images of an environment near the corresponding one or more items of position data;

7. The media according to claim 1, wherein the path and the one or more images are transmitted from a content server.

8. A method for displaying images corresponding to a path, comprising:

periodically receiving one or more items of position data related to a mobile device as the mobile device moves;

retrieving one or more images corresponding to the one or more transmitted items of position data, wherein the one or more images are actual images of an environment near the corresponding one or more items of position data; and

transmitting the corresponding one or more images to the mobile device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the actual images are captured by an image-capturing device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more items of position data are determined by a global positioning sensor.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device is at least one of a navigation system, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, and a laptop.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more images are downloaded from a content server.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising providing multimedia data that is related to the one or more images.

14. A method for displaying images corresponding to a path, comprising:

receiving a path and one or more images corresponding to positions along the path, wherein the one or more images are actual images of an environment near the corresponding positions;

detecting a position of a mobile device; and

displaying the one or more images as the mobile device moves to the corresponding detected positions along the path.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the actual images are images that were taken by an image-capturing device.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the position of the mobile device is detected with a global positioning sensor.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the path and the one or more images are received from a content server.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the mobile device is at least one of a navigation system, a personal digital assistant, a mobile phone, and a laptop.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising displaying multimedia data that is related to the one or more images.

20. The method according to claim 14, further comprising displaying at least one image not related to the positions along the path when the mobile device diverts away from the path, wherein the at least one image is an actual image of the environment where the mobile device is currently located.