TECHNIQUES TO ANNOTATE STREET VIEW IMAGES WITH CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

• US 20120124461A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barnett, Donald, Wantland, Tim, Ramos, Gonzalo
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

Techniques to annotate street level images with contextual information are described. A map application may comprise a street level component that when executed by a processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location. The street level component may comprise a street view component operative to generate a street view image from multiple street level images, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image. The street level component may further comprise a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image, and combine the horizontal metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating a street view image for a map application;

generating a horizontal metadata panel for the street view image;

retrieving object metadata for objects shown in the street view image;

positioning object metadata in the horizontal metadata panel in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image; and

combining the street view image and the horizontal metadata panel to form an annotated street view image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a request for a street level view of a location at a server device;

retrieving street level images for the location from a map database; and

combining the street level images to form the street view image.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the horizontal metadata panel adjacent to the street view image.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the horizontal metadata panel contiguous with the street view image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating the horizontal metadata panel overlapping with the street view image.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating a top horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the top horizontal metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising generating a bottom horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the top horizontal metadata panel positioned below a bottom portion of the street view image.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising positioning object metadata comprising navigation information in the street view image proximate to a corresponding object in the street view image.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising sending the annotated street view image to a client device for presentation by the client device.

10. An article comprising a storage medium containing instructions that when executed enable a system to:

send a request for a street level view of a location to a server device;

receive a street view image and horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image by a client device; and

present the street view image and horizontal metadata panel having the positioned object metadata on a display of the client device.

11. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present a navigation user interface object to navigate the street view image in response to control directives.

12. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present the horizontal metadata panel adjacent to the street view image, contiguous with the street view image, or overlapping with the street view image.

13. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present a top horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the top horizontal metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

14. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the system to present a bottom horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the top horizontal metadata panel positioned below a bottom portion of the street view image.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a mapping application having a street level component that when executed by the processor is operative to generate annotated street view images of a location, the street level component comprising;

a street view component operative to generate a street view image from multiple street level images, the street view image having one or more objects located within the street view image; and

a metadata component communicatively coupled to the street view component, the metadata component operative to generate a horizontal metadata panel having object metadata positioned in approximate vertical alignment with a corresponding object in the street view image, and combine the horizontal metadata panel with the street view image to form an annotated street view image.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to position the horizontal metadata panel adjacent to the street view image, contiguous with the street view image, or overlapping with the street view image.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to generate a top horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the top horizontal metadata panel positioned above a top portion of the street view image.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the metadata component operative to generate a bottom horizontal metadata panel for the street view image, the bottom horizontal metadata panel positioned below a bottom portion of the street view image.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising a datastore arranged to store object metadata indexed by a corresponding object.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, the object metadata comprising information for a corresponding object in located within the street view image, including location information, business information, personal information, event information, social networking information, advertising information, or navigation information.