TECHNIQUES FOR MANIPULATING PANORAMAS

• US 20100123737A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tsinteris, Kimon, Kan, Alex, Williamson, Richard, Staake, Ryan, Matas, Mike, Blumenberg, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,493,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/672
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images

Abstract

A multi-step animation sequence for smoothly transitioning from a map view to a panorama view of a specified location is disclosed. An orientation overlay can be displayed on the panorama, showing a direction and angular extent of the field of view of the panorama. An initial specified location and a current location of the panorama can also be displayed on the orientation overlay. A navigable placeholder panorama to be displayed in place of a panorama at the specified location when panorama data is not available is disclosed. A perspective view of a street name annotation can be laid on the surface of a street in the panorama.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting a map containing a specified location on a display;

receiving user input requesting a panorama view of the specified location; and

presenting an animated sequence transitioning from the map to the panorama view of the specified location, where the animated sequence comprises;

zooming into the specified location on the map;

transitioning from the zoomed map to a panorama with a field of view showing a street surface at the specified location; and

spinning the panorama such that the field of view tilts up from the street surface to the horizon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the map and the panorama are both displayed in a landscape orientation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon completion of the animated sequence, presenting an orientation overlay on the panorama, where the orientation overlay indicates a direction and an angular extent of the field of view.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the map and the panorama are both displayed in a portrait orientation, and the method further comprises:

upon completion of the animated sequence, receiving a second user input rotating the display to a landscape orientation; and

presenting an orientation overlay on the panorama, where the orientation overlay indicates a direction and an angular extent of the field of view.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

presenting a map showing a specified location further comprises

presenting a visual indicator at the specified location on the map;

and

presenting a user interface element for invoking the panorama view of the specified location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the visual indicator depicts a push pin;

and

the user interface element displays a street address of the specified location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a perspective view of a street name annotation laid on the street surface in the panorama.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a perspective view of a semi-transparent ribbon with embedded street name text, the semi-transparent ribbon being laid on the street surface along the direction of a street in the panorama.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a perspective view of a navigation indicator laid on the street surface in the panorama, where a user input directed to the navigation indicator causes the panorama to advance in a direction pointed by the navigation indicator.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification that no panorama for the specified location is available;

presenting the animated sequence using a placeholder panorama in place of the panorama;

upon completion of the animated sequence, presenting an orientation overlay on the placeholder panorama, where the orientation overlay indicates a direction and an angular extent of the field of view of the placeholder panorama; and

presenting a perspective view of a street name annotation and a perspective view of a navigation indicator pointing in the direction shown in the orientation overlay.

11. The method of claim 1, where the display is a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting a street panorama of a specified street location; and

presenting an orientation overlay on the street panorama, where the orientation overlay indicates a direction and an angular extent of a field of view of the street panorama on a portion of a street map.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

the orientation overlay comprises a visual indicator identifying the specified street location on the portion of the street map.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a user input changing the field of view of the street panorama; and

updating the orientation overlay to reflect changes in the direction or angular extent of the filed of view.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein

presenting an orientation overlay on the street panorama further comprises:

presenting a pie-shaped indicator where an angle of a pie slice in the pie-shaped indicator opens in the direction of the field of view and has a size based on the angular extent of the field of view.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

presenting a second street panorama of a second street location; and

updating the orientation overlay based on the second street panorama.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein

presenting an orientation overlay on the street panorama further comprises:

presenting a pie-shaped indicator where a vertex of a pie slice in the pie-shaped indicator overlaps with the specified street location of the street panorama on the street map; and

wherein

updating the orientation overlay further comprises;

showing a different portion of the street map such that the vertex of the pie slice overlaps with the second street location on the different portion of the street map.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

presenting a user interface element on the street panorama in response to a user input, where the user interface element shows a street address corresponding to the street location of the street panorama.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

presenting a second street panorama of a second street location; and

updating the user interface element to show a second street address corresponding to the second street panorama.

20. The method of claim 12, where the display is a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

21. A computer implemented method, comprising:

presenting a map showing a specified street location on a display;

receiving a first user input requesting a panorama view of the specified location;

presenting an animated sequence transitioning from the map to the panorama view of the specified location, where the animated sequence comprises;

zooming into the specified location on the map;

transitioning from the zoomed map to a panorama with a field of view showing a street surface at the specified location; and

spinning the panorama such that the field of view tilts up from the street surface to the horizon;

upon completion of the animated sequence, receiving a second user input rotating the display;

upon receiving the second user input, presenting a pie-shaped orientation indicator on the panorama showing a portion of a street map containing the specified location, where;

an angle of a pie slice in the pie-shaped orientation indicator opens in a direction of the field of view and has a size based on an angular extent of the field of view;

a vertex of a pie slice of the pie-shaped orientation indicator overlaps with the specified location on the portion of the street map; and

the specified street location is identified by a visual indicator on the portion of the street map.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

presenting a second panorama of a second location; and

updating the pie-shaped orientation indicator to show a different portion of the street map such that the vertex of the pie slice overlaps with the second street location on the different portion of the street map.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein

the specified location is identified by the visual indicator on the different portion of the street map.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the display is a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising

sending the message to a remote location.

25. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a user input to share a specified street location on a map;

displaying a message in an message editor, the message having a Universal Resource Locator (URL) of the specified street location embedded in a message body.

27. The method of claim 25, where the display is a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

28. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting a first annotation box associated with a first location on a map displayed on a mobile device, where the first annotation box has a first annotation area and a first leader connecting the first annotation area to the first location on the map;

presenting a second annotation box associated with a second location on the map, where the second annotation box has an second annotation area and a second leader connecting the second annotation area to the second location on the map, and where the first location and the second location can be identical; and

adjusting locations of the first annotation area and the second annotation area such that they do not overlap.

29. The method of claim 28, where adjusting locations further comprises:

determining a distance between the first annotation area and the second annotation area on the map; and

shifting the annotation area of the second annotation box to an opposite side of the annotation area of the first annotation box if the distance is less than a predetermined threshold value.

30. The method of claim 28, where adjusting locations further comprises:

determining a distance between the first annotation area and the second annotation area on the map; and

extending the leader of the second annotation box if the distance is less than a predetermined threshold value.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein

the mobile device has a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

32. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving input specifying a starting location and an end location on a mobile device;

determining a set of transit steps for a route from the starting location to the end location, where the transit steps comprise at least one of embarking on a public transportation means, walking, or biking;

detecting a deviation from the route; and

updating the set of transit steps based on the deviation.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein

detecting a deviation from the route further comprises:

receiving a current location of the mobile device or a current time; and

determining the deviation from the set of transit steps based on the current location or the current time.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein

detecting a deviation from the route further comprises:

receiving a user request for a reroute; and

in response to the user'"'"'s request, perform the receiving and the determining steps.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein

receiving a current location of the mobile device further comprises:

requesting the current location of the mobile device using a Global Positioning System (GPS) on the mobile device.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein

the mobile device has a touch-sensitive display responsive to a multi-touch gesture.

37. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

presenting a map showing a specified location on a display;

receiving a first user input requesting a panorama view of the specified location;

presenting an animated sequence transitioning from the map to the panorama view of the specified location, where the animated sequence comprises;

zooming into the specified location on the map;

transitioning from the zoomed map to a panorama with a field of view showing a street surface at the specified location; and

spinning the panorama such that the field of view tilts up from the street surface to the horizon;

upon completion of the animated sequence, receiving a second user input rotating the display;

upon receiving the second user input, presenting a pie-shaped orientation indicator on the panorama showing a portion of a street map containing the specified location, where;

an angle of a pie slice in the pie-shaped orientation indicator opens in a direction of the field of view and has a size based on an angular extent of the field of view;

a vertex of a pie slice of the pie-shaped orientation indicator overlaps with the specified location on the portion of the street map; and

the specified street location is identified by a visual indicator on the portion of the street map.

38. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and operable for storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations, comprising;

presenting a map showing a specified location on a display;

receiving a first user input requesting a panorama view of the specified location;

presenting an animated sequence transitioning from the map to the panorama view of the specified location, where the animated sequence comprises;

zooming into the specified location on the map;

transitioning from the zoomed map to a panorama with a field of view showing a street surface at the specified location; and

spinning the panorama such that the field of view tilts up from the street surface to the horizon;

upon completion of the animated sequence, receiving a second user input rotating the display;

upon receiving the second user input, presenting a pie-shaped orientation indicator on the panorama showing a portion of a street map containing the specified location, where;

an angle of a pie slice in the pie-shaped orientation indicator opens in a direction of the field of view and has a size based on an angular extent of the field of view;

a vertex of a pie slice of the pie-shaped orientation indicator overlaps with the specified location on the portion of the street map; and

the specified location is identified by a visual indicator on the portion of the street map.

39. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

presenting an image on a display;

receiving a first user input requesting a panorama view of a specified location on a map;

presenting an animated sequence transitioning from the image to the panorama view of the specified location, where the animated sequence comprises;

zooming into the image;

transitioning from the zoomed image to the map containing the specified location;

zooming into the specified street location on the map;

transitioning from the zoomed map to a panorama at the specified location with a field of view facing a ground surface at the specified location; and

spinning the panorama such that the field of view tilts up to the horizon.