Method, System, and Computer-Readable Data Storage Device for Creating and Displaying Three-Dimensional Features on an Electronic Map Display
First Claim
1. A method for displaying a map with three-dimensional features, the method comprising:
- defining a plurality of major three-dimensional regions (major 3DRs) and associating each major 3DR with a respective geographical area defined for a map stored in a computer-readable map database, wherein each major 3DR comprises a top, a bottom, and multiple sides, and wherein each top, bottom, and side of each major 3DR comprises at least one surface; and
displaying, via a display device, one or more of the major 3DRs upon the map, wherein at least one surface of each major 3DR being displayed is textured with an image captured via an imaging device, and wherein the image textured onto each surface comprises an image captured by the imaging device when capturing images in a direction of that surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer-readable data storage devices for generating and/or displaying a map with three-dimensional (3D) features are disclosed. For example, a method may comprise (i) defining a plurality of major three-dimensional regions (“major 3DRs”) and associating each major 3DR with a respective geographical area defined for a map stored in a computer-readable map database, and (ii) displaying, via a display device, one or more of the major 3DRs upon the map. Each major 3DR comprises a top, a bottom, and multiple sides. Each top, bottom, and side of each major 3DR comprises at least one surface. At least one surface of each major 3DR being displayed is textured with an image captured via an imaging device. The image textured onto each surface comprises an image captured by the imaging device when capturing images in a direction of that surface.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for displaying a map with three-dimensional features, the method comprising:
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defining a plurality of major three-dimensional regions (major 3DRs) and associating each major 3DR with a respective geographical area defined for a map stored in a computer-readable map database, wherein each major 3DR comprises a top, a bottom, and multiple sides, and wherein each top, bottom, and side of each major 3DR comprises at least one surface; and displaying, via a display device, one or more of the major 3DRs upon the map, wherein at least one surface of each major 3DR being displayed is textured with an image captured via an imaging device, and wherein the image textured onto each surface comprises an image captured by the imaging device when capturing images in a direction of that surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable data storage device for use in creating a map with three-dimensional features, the data storage device comprising:
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a set of object-detection data generated for each of one or more locations, wherein each set of object-detection data comprises a plurality of data points and each data point is associated with a particular location remote from the location for which the set of object-detection data was generated; a plurality of images and location data that identifies a viewpoint and location from which each image was captured; computer-readable program instructions executable by a processor to identify, from among the object-detection data, data points that indicate presence of a three-dimensional (3D) object at a particular location and to define a 3D region associated with the 3D object and the particular location, wherein the 3D region comprises a plurality of surfaces; computer-readable program instructions executable by the processor to determine, for each surface of the 3D region and from among the plurality of images, a respective image to be associated with that surface; and computer-readable program instructions executable by the processor to create, within the data storage device, association data that identifies each association between each surface of the 3D region and the respective image associated with that surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for displaying a map with three-dimensional features, the system comprising:
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a display device; a user-input device; a computer-readable data storage device; and a processor that is operable to execute computer-readable program instructions stored at the computer-readable data storage device, wherein the computer-readable data storage device comprises data that identifies a plurality of major three-dimensional regions (major 3DRs), each major 3DR comprising a top, a bottom, and multiple sides, wherein the computer-readable data storage device comprises, for each identified major 3DR, data that identifies at least one respective surface for each side, top, and bottom of that major 3DR, wherein the computer-readable data storage device comprises a plurality of images, wherein at least a portion of each image is associated with a surface defined for a major 3DR, wherein the computer-readable program instructions comprise program instructions executable to cause the display device to display at least one major 3DR in response to selection of a geographical location via the user-input device, and wherein, when a given major 3DR is being displayed, each visible surface of the given major 3DR is textured with the image associated with that surface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for displaying a map with three-dimensional features, the method comprising:
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storing, within a non-transitory computer-readable data storage device, data that identifies a major three-dimensional region (major 3DR) and data that identifies at least a portion of an image that is associated with at least one surface defined for the three-dimensional region, wherein the major 3DR comprises a top, a bottom, and multiple sides, and wherein each top, bottom, and side of each major 3DR comprises at least one surface; receiving computer-readable data indicating a selection of a given geographical location and responsively executing computer-readable program instructions to determine that the major 3DR is associated with a geographic area that includes the given geographical location; and providing data to display a map that depicts the geographical area and the major 3DR associated with the geographical area, wherein the at least one surface defined for the three-dimensional region is textured with the at least a portion of the image that is associated with that surface.
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Specification