OVERHEAD IMAGE VIEWING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130298083A1
• Filed: 05/02/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Planet Labs PBC
• Original Assignee: Skybox Imaging, Inc. (Planet Labs PBC)
• Inventors: Mann, Julian, Bertoldo, Greg, Cervantes, Carlos, Cirminello, Richard J. Jr., Long, James, Berkenstock, Daniel, Guinan, Oliver, Hu, Ching-Yu, Wegel, Adam, Kelley, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 10,061,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/00 Navigation; Navigational instruments not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C19/00 measuring distance traversed on the ground by a vehicle G01C22/00; control of position, course, altitude or attitude of vehicles G05D1/00; traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a user interface for searching, browsing, and ordering overhead (e.g. aircraft or satellite) imagery are provided. The user interface provides a map and search bar for searching and browsing images. Images may be presented to a user based on a selected and/or displayed geographic region of interest. Browsing to a different geographic region of interest may dynamically and automatically update the images presented. The user interface allows the user to select an image for viewing and/or purchase. Selection of an image overlays the image on the map, aligned with the geographic region which the image captures. Closing the selected image re-centers and re-zooms to the original display. Presented images can be filtered based on several criteria. Images can include still images and/or videos.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing an overhead image browsing user interface, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of an overhead image viewing system comprising computing hardware including one or more processors;

receiving user input specifying a geographic region of interest;

in response to the user input, outputting for display (1) a master image of the geographic region of interest, and (2) a representation of one or more overhead images, wherein the overhead images correspond to the geographic region of interest; and

responding to user selection of one of the representations of the overhead images by outputting for display the selected overhead image superimposed over a geographically-corresponding portion of the master image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein outputting for display the selected overhead image further comprises outputting for display a second master image corresponding to the selected overhead image, the second master image replacing the master image of the geographic region of interest.

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

in response to user input specifying a different geographic region of interest, updating the representation of the one or more overhead images, wherein the overhead images correspond to the different geographic region of interest.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overhead images comprise one or more of:

(1) static images, (2) still-frame or freeze-frame images from a video, (3) videos, or (4) images captured by satellites.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein outputting for display the selected overhead image superimposed over a geographically-corresponding portion of the master image comprises outputting for display the selected image as an at least partially transparent image so as to permit at least some features in the geographically-corresponding portion of the master image to appear through the at least partially transparent image.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the representation of one or more overhead images comprises a filmstrip image viewer that includes the representation of the one or more overhead images.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the filmstrip image viewer is configured for one or more of the following:

selecting a representation of a particular overhead image or scrolling the representations of the one or more overhead images within the filmstrip image viewer.

8. An interactive system for overhead image browsing, the system comprising:

a physical computing system that provides network-based access to an electronic catalog of overhead images, said computing system providing a user interface that includes functionality for users to browse overhead images; and

an overhead image viewing service that enables users to browse a set of overhead images, wherein the set of overhead images is based at least partly on a geographic region of interest;

the computing system configured to generate, for a user, a page that provides functionality for the user to browse a map of a first geographic region and a representation of the overhead images, and to select an overhead image to view in detail, wherein the generated page allows the selected overhead image to be superimposed over a portion of the map.

9. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the computing system is further configured to update the representation of the overhead images in response to the user browsing the map to a different geographic region, wherein the overhead images are based at least partly on the different geographic region.

10. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the generated page includes a second map of the geographic region of interest corresponding to the selected overhead image, the second map replacing the map on the page.

11. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the representation of the overhead images comprises a filmstrip that includes the representation of the one or more overhead images.

12. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the overhead images comprise one or more of:

(1) static images, (2) still-frame or freeze-frame images from a video, (3) videos, or (4) images captured by satellites.

13. The interactive system of claim 8, wherein the user interface is configured for display on a touch sensitive computing device.

14. Non-transitory computer storage that stores a user interface that provides functionality for a user to browse overhead images, the user interface including:

a map displaying a representation of a geographic region of interest;

a user-selectable representation of a set of overhead images corresponding to the geographic region of interest;

at least one display element for selecting one of the overhead images; and

executable code that is responsive to user selection of the overhead image by displaying the overhead image superimposed over a geographically-corresponding portion of the map.

15. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the executable code is configured to:

in response to user input specifying a different geographic region of interest, update the representation of the set of overhead images, wherein the overhead images correspond to the different geographic region of interest

16. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the user-selectable representation of a set of overhead images corresponding to the geographic region of interest comprises a filmstrip that includes the representation of the one or more overhead images, wherein each overhead image is user-selectable to cause display of the overhead image superimposed over the geographically-corresponding portion of the map.

17. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the user interface comprises a web page.

18. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the user interface is embodied in a mobile application.

19. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the user interface is configured for display on a touch sensitive computing device.

20. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the user interface is generated by an overhead image viewing system.

21. The non-transitory computer storage of claim 14, wherein the overhead images comprise one or more of:

(1) static images, (2) still-frame or freeze-frame images from a video, (3) videos, or (4) images captured by satellites.