MAP AGGREGATION

• US 20100225665A1
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ofek, Eyal, Epshtein, Boris
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

A system described herein includes a text extractor component that extracts text from a digital image and a determiner component that automatically determines whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region based at least in part upon the extracted text. The system additionally includes a correlator component that generates correlation data that causes the digital image to be correlated with a portion of a reference map that pertains to the geographic region if the determiner component determines that the digital image is a map of the geographic region.

Claims

1. A method comprising the following computer-executable acts:

a) receiving a digital image;

b) automatically determining whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region; and

c) if the digital image is determined to be a map of the geographic region, automatically generating correlation data that correlates the digital image with a reference map that includes the geographic region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining whether or not the digital image is a map of the geographic region comprises:

d) extracting text from the digital image;

e) comparing the extracted text with a database of known points of interest; and

f) determining whether or not the digital image is a map of the geographic region based at least in part upon the comparison.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein automatically determining whether or not the digital image is a map of the geographic region further comprises determining if matches between the extracted text and entries in the database of known points of interest have a spatial correspondence.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining if matches between the extracted text and entries in the database of known points of interest have a spatial correspondence comprises back-projecting the digital image onto the reference map.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) receiving a plurality of digital images from a web crawler; and

e) performing acts b) and c) for each of the plurality of images.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) receiving a user query for a map of the geographic region;

e) displaying on a computer screen the reference map of the geographic region and an indication that the digital image is also a map of the geographic region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication is a link that, upon selection, causes the digital image to be displayed on the computer screen.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the digital image is displayed concurrently with the reference map.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least the portion of the digital image overlays at least a portion of the reference map.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the indication is a concurrent display of the digital image with the reference map.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

e) modifying the digital image such that a coordinate system of the digital image and a coordinate system of the reference map correspond.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region comprises determining whether points of interest located in the digital image translate to corresponding points of interest in the reference map within a threshold radius of error.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically determining whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region comprises using a Voronoi diagram in connection with mapping located points of interest in the digital image to the reference map.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising an image locator component that crawls the World Wide Web to locate the digital image.

14. A system comprising the following computer-executable components:

a text extractor component that extracts text from a digital image;

a determiner component that automatically determines whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region based at least in part upon the extracted text; and

a correlator component that generates correlation data that causes the digital image to be correlated with a portion of a reference map that pertains to the geographic region if the determiner component determines that the digital image is a map of the geographic region

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a display component that displays an indication on a computer display screen that the digital image is a map of the geographic region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the display component displays the indication on the computer screen upon receipt of a query from a user pertaining to viewing a map of the geographic region.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the display component causes at least a portion of the digital image to be displayed concurrently with at least a portion of the reference map.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the indication is a link to the digital image.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the following acts:

receive a digital image;

extract text from the digital image;

compare the extracted text with a database of known points of interest;

if a sufficient match exists between the extracted text and contents of the database of known points of interest, analyze location of the known points of interest on a reference map;

determine whether or not the digital image is a map of a geographic region based at least in part upon the analysis; and

if the digital image is a map of the geographic region, correlate a portion of the reference map that corresponds to the geographic region with the digital image.