Computer System for Continuous Oblique Panning

• US 20080231700A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Giuffrida, Frank, Schultz, Stephen, Schnaufer, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30184 Infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/337 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A computer system for continuously panningoblique images. More particularly, the computer system uses a methodology whereby separate oblique images are presented in a manner that allows a user to maintain an understanding of the relationship of specific features between different oblique images when panning.

Claims

1. A sequence of instructions stored on at least one computer readable medium for running on a computer system capable of displaying and navigating oblique imagery, comprising:

instructions for displaying a pixel representation of a primary oblique image, the primary oblique image being part of a set of adjacent oblique images that represent an area of interest;

instructions for panning within the primary oblique image;

instructions for detecting a transition event of the primary oblique image;

instructions for selecting at least one adjacent secondary oblique image from the set of oblique images corresponding to a supplied location coordinate; and

instructions for displaying the primary oblique image and the at least one adjacent secondary oblique image on the same display such that the features in the adjacent primary and secondary oblique images are aligned on the display.

2. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1 further comprising instructions for translating at least the primary and secondary oblique images'"'"' pixel coordinates into location coordinates.

3. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for detecting a transition event include instructions for detecting the edge of the primary oblique image.

4. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for detecting a transition event include instructions for detecting the approach of an edge of the primary oblique image.

5. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for detecting the transition event include instructions for detecting a pre-selected distance or number of pixels from the edge of the primary oblique image.

6. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the current direction of travel or panning is used to select at least one secondary oblique image.

7. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the relative position of the supplied location coordinate within a secondary oblique image is used to select at least one secondary oblique image.

8. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of oblique images is aerial oblique images.

9. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for selecting an adjacent secondary oblique image from the set of oblique images selects multiple adjacent secondary oblique images that correspond to multiple location coordinates.

10. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for displaying the primary and secondary oblique images on the same display displays multiple adjacent secondary oblique images on the same display.

11. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for causing a secondary oblique image to be a primary oblique image.

12. The sequence of instructions stored on the at least one computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for permitting a user to cause a secondary oblique image to be a primary oblique image.

13. A method of using a sequence of instructions for displaying and navigating oblique imagery, comprising:

displaying a pixel representation of a primary oblique image on a display of a computer system, the primary oblique image being part of a set of oblique images representing an area of interest;

panning within the primary oblique image;

detecting a transition event; and

displaying the primary oblique image and at least one adjacent secondary oblique image on the same display such that the features in the primary and adjacent secondary oblique images are aligned on the same display.

14. A method for configuring a computer system for displaying oblique images representative of adjacent areas on a display, comprising the step of:

making a set of instructions on a computer readable medium accessible to a processor of a computer system, the set of instructions including instructions for;

displaying a pixel representation of a primary oblique image on a display of a computer system, the primary oblique image being part of a set of oblique images representing an area of interest;

panning within the primary oblique image;

detecting a transition event; and

displaying the primary oblique image and the at least one adjacent secondary oblique image on the same display such that the features in the primary and at least one secondary oblique images are aligned on the same display.

15. A method for enhancing the ability of users to display and navigate oblique imagery on a display of a computer system, comprising the step of:

selling and distributing a set of instructions for;

displaying a pixel representation of a primary oblique image on the display of the computer system, the primary oblique image being part of a set of oblique images representing an area of interest;

panning within the primary oblique image;

detecting a transition event; and

displaying the primary oblique image and the at least one adjacent secondary oblique image on the same display such that the features in the present and at least one oblique images are aligned on the same display.

16. A method for configuring a computer system having a display for displaying oblique images representative of adjacent areas, comprising the step of:

providing access to a set of instructions stored on a computer readable medium for installation on a computer readable medium associated with the computer system, the set of instructions including instructions for;

displaying a pixel representation of a primary oblique image on the display of the computer system, the primary oblique image being part of a set of oblique images representing an area of interest;

panning within the primary oblique image;

detecting the approach of an edge of the primary oblique image; and

displaying the primary oblique image and the at least one adjacent secondary oblique image on the same display such that the features in the primary and at least one secondary oblique images are aligned on the same display.