Touring In A Geographic Information System

• US 20100042923A1
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss-Malik, Michael, Barcay, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,302,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images

Abstract

The present invention relates to navigating in a geographic information system. In an embodiment, a method tours geographic information in a geographic information system. A set of actions for a tour is received. Each action includes a tour time. A tour time of at least one of the actions is defined by a user. Each action in the set of actions is executed to tour geographic information in the geographic information system.

Claims

1. A method for touring geographic information in a geographic information system, comprising:

(a) receiving a set of actions for a tour, each action including a tour time, wherein a tour time of at least one of the actions is defined by a user; and

(b) executing each action in the set of actions to tour geographic information in the geographic information system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing (b) comprises moving a virtual camera of the geographic information system according to at least one action in the set of actions to tour the geographic information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving (a) comprises receiving the set of actions for the tour, at least one action in the set of actions including a feature time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

(c) receiving a feature having an associated feature time period and a position in the geographic information;

(d) determining a current feature time based on a current tour time; and

(e) displaying the feature when the current feature time is during the associated feature time period and the position is in a view frustum of the virtual camera.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(c) interpolating a spline based on two or more actions in the set of actions, wherein the executing (b) further comprises moving the virtual camera along the spline.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(c) enabling a user to pause, rewind, or fast forward the tour.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(c) enabling a user to define the set of actions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the enabling (c) comprises:

(i) enabling a user to define an action to move the virtual camera; and

(ii) recording a position of the virtual camera.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(c) overriding the tour in response to a first user input.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the overriding (c) comprises changing the orientation of the virtual camera according to a second user input.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the overriding (c) comprises:

(i) moving the virtual camera off a path of the tour according to a second user input; and

(ii) moving the virtual camera back to the path of the tour in response to a third user input.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving (a) comprises parsing a KML file.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the executing (b) further comprises moving a virtual camera into a photo.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising playing a sound according to an action in the set of actions.

15. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating a state value associated with a feature in the geographic information system according to an action in the set of actions.

16. A geographic information system for touring geographic information, comprising:

a tour controller that receives a set of actions for a tour, each action including a tour time, wherein a tour time of at least one of the actions is defined by a user and executes each action in the set of actions to tour geographic information in the geographic information system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller moves a virtual camera of the geographic information system according to at least one action in the set of actions to tour the geographic information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one action in the set of actions includes a feature time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the tour controller receives a feature having an associated feature time period and a position in the geographic information and determines a current feature time based on a current time in the tour and sends a signal to display the feature when the current feature time is during the associated feature time period and the position is in a view frustum of the virtual camera.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the tour controller interpolates a spline based on two or more actions in the set of actions and moves the virtual camera along the spline.

21. The system of claim 16, the tour controller enables a user to pause, rewind, or fast forward the tour.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising a touring editor that enables a user to define the set of actions.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a touring recorder that records the position of the virtual camera.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the tour recorder records sound to accompany the tour.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller overrides the tour in response to a user input.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the tour controller changes the orientation of the virtual camera according to a user input.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the tour controller pauses the tour.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the tour interpreter parses a KML file.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the tour controller changes the orientation of the virtual camera according to a user input.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller moves a virtual camera into a photo according to an action in the set of actions.

31. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller playing a sound according to an action in the set of actions.

32. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller displays an informational balloon.

33. The system of claim 16, wherein the tour controller receives a control instruction and executes the actions in the set of actions based on the control instruction.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the control instruction instructs the tour controller to execute at least a portion of the actions in a loop.

35. A method for touring geographic information in a geographic information system, comprising:

(a) receiving a set of actions for a tour, at least one action in the set of actions including a feature time;

(b) receiving a feature having an associated feature time period and a position in the geographic information;

(c) executing each action in the set of actions to tour geographic information in the geographic information system;

(d) determining a current feature time based on a current tour time; and

(e) displaying the feature when the current feature is during the associated feature time period and the position is in a view frustum of the virtual camera.