NAVIGATING VISUAL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH A POINT OF INTEREST

• US 20140104280A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: OFSTAD, Andrew, SEITZ, Steven Maxwell
• Granted Patent: US 8,928,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/440
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/50 of still image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/20 Drawing from basic elements, e.g. lines or circles
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images

Abstract

Systems and methods for navigating an imagery graph are provided. In some aspects, a first image is provided for display, where the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, where the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and where each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data. An indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image is received, where the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated a second image node within the imagery graph. A second image corresponding to the second image node is provided for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for navigating an imagery graph, the method comprising:

providing a first image for display, wherein the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, wherein the imagery graph comprises image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, and wherein each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data;

receiving an indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image, wherein the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated with a second image node within the imagery graph; and

providing a second image corresponding to the second image node for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different imagery types comprise two or more of:

photographs, depth-enhanced images, panoramic images, aerial images, satellite images, or video images.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first image is from a different imagery type than the second image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined region comprises one or more pixels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined region comprises a click target.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined region comprises at least a portion of a point of interest displayed within the first image.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second image comprises an image of the point of interest.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a viewpoint orientation of the second image corresponds to viewing the point of interest from a position corresponding to the predetermined region on the first image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the geospatial data comprises one or more of a geographic location, a viewpoint orientation, or a field of view.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving indicia of a cursor being hovered within the predetermined region; and

providing a notification that the second image is available responsive to the indicia of the cursor being hovered within the predetermined region.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the notification comprises a transformation of a shape of the cursor.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to implement a method, the method comprising:

providing a first image for display, wherein the first image corresponds to a first image node within an imagery graph, wherein the imagery graph comprises plural image nodes, and wherein each image node in the imagery graph is associated with geospatial data;

receiving an indication of a selection of one or more pixels within the first image, wherein the one or more pixels are associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to geospatial data associated with a second image node within the imagery graph; and

providing a second image corresponding to the second image node for display in response to the indication of the selection of the one or more pixels.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the plural image nodes correspond to images from a plurality of different imagery types.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of different imagery types comprise two or more of:

photographs, depth-enhanced images, panoramic images, aerial images, satellite images, or video images.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more pixels comprise a click target.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more pixels comprise at least a portion of a point of interest displayed within the first image.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second image comprises an image of the point of interest.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein a viewpoint orientation of the second image corresponds to viewing the point of interest from a position corresponding to the one or more pixels on the first image.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the geospatial data comprises one or more of a geographic location, a viewpoint orientation, or a field of view.

20. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory comprising;

one or more data structures representing a unified imagery graph comprising image nodes corresponding to images from a plurality of different imagery types, wherein each image node in the unified imagery graph is associated with a geographic location, a viewpoint orientation, and a field of view; and

instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method, the method comprising;

providing a first image for display, wherein the first image corresponds to a first image node within the unified imagery graph, and wherein the first image has a first imagery type;

receiving an indication of a selection of a predetermined region within the first image, wherein the predetermined region is associated with a position in the first image that corresponds to a geographic location, a viewpoint orientation, or a field of view associated a second image node within the unified imagery graph; and

providing a second image corresponding to the second image node for display in response to the indication of the selection of the predetermined region, wherein the second image has a second imagery type different from the first imagery type.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of different imagery types comprise two or more of:

photographs, depth-enhanced images, panoramic images, aerial images, satellite images, or video images.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the unified imagery graph comprises images from a plurality of different image sets.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of different image sets comprise two or more of:

public images in a social networking service, images in a mapping service, or images in a web-based encyclopedia.