VISUALIZING CAMERA FEEDS ON A MAP

• US 20090237510A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ofek, Eyal, Chen, Billy
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

Feeds from cameras are better visualized by superimposing images based on the feeds onto map based on a two- or three-dimensional virtual map. For example, a traffic camera feed can be aligned with a roadway included in the map. Multiple videos can be aligned with roadways in the map and can also be aligned in time.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for visualizing a camera feed, said method comprising:

accessing a first feed from a first camera;

accessing data for rendering an image of a multi-dimensional virtual map; and

superimposing a first image based on said first feed onto a map display based on said virtual map.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said first feed comprises an image of vehicles traveling on a roadway and wherein said map display comprises an image of said roadway, wherein said method further comprises aligning said image of said vehicles with said image of said roadway.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises:

accessing a second feed from a second camera; and

superimposing a second image based on said second feed onto said map display, wherein said first image and said second image are aligned in time.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises rendering said first image in an animated texture on a billboard that is superimposed onto said map display.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said map display comprises a digital elevation map (DEM) and wherein said method further comprises projecting said first feed onto said DEM.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises rendering only moving objects from said first feed onto said map display.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said first image comprises simulations of objects in said first feed, said simulations used in place of actual pictures of said objects taken by said first camera.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises correlating metadata associated with said map display and information based on said first feed to calibrate said first camera.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising:

a virtual map model;

a video image generator coupled to said virtual map model and operable for generating first images based on a first video feed received from a first camera; and

a visualization model coupled to said virtual map model and said video images generator, wherein said virtualization model is operable for overlaying said first images onto a map generated from said virtual map model.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said first video feed comprises images of vehicles traveling on a roadway and wherein said map comprises an image of at least said roadway, wherein said visualization model is operable for said images of vehicles with said image of said roadway.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said video images generator is further operable for generating second images based on a second video feed received from a second camera, wherein said visualization model is further operable for overlaying said second images onto said map, wherein said first images and said second images are aligned in time.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said first images are rendered as an animated texture on a billboard that is superimposed onto said map.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said map comprises a digital elevation map (DEM) and wherein said first video feed is projected onto said DEM.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein only moving objects from said first video feed are overlaid onto said map.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said first images comprise simulations of objects in said first video feed, said simulations used in place of actual images of said objects.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer-executable components further comprise a calibration model operable for calibrating said first camera using metadata associated with said map and information based on said first video feed.

17. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user selection device, a method of visualizing a video feed, said method comprising:

displaying information that identifies a plurality of video camera feeds comprising a first video camera feed from a first video camera at a first location;

receiving a selection identifying said first video camera feed; and

displaying first images based on said first video camera feed, wherein said first images are superimposed on a virtual map that encompasses said first location.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first video camera feed comprises images of vehicles traveling on a roadway and wherein said virtual map comprises an image of said roadway, wherein said method further comprises aligning said images of vehicles with said image of said roadway.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving a selection identifying a second video camera feed from a second video camera at a second location; and

displaying second images based on said second video camera feed, wherein said second images are superimposed on said virtual map, wherein said first images and said second images are aligned with respect to time.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising displaying text-based information concurrent with said displaying of said first images.