Image Mapping to Provide Visual Geographic Path

• US 20140375690A1
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Location Based Services, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,286,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

Provided is a computer system and method for mapping a visual path. The method includes receiving one or more images included in a predefined area; receiving one or more parameters associated with the image; and integrating the images and parameters into a map of the predefined area to enable mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters.

Claims

1. A method for mapping a visual path, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images of a predefined area;

receiving one or more parameters associated with the one or more images;

integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area; and

mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sequentially displaying the visual path of the one or more images on a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters comprises:

wirelessly receiving a location parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters;

receiving a timing parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters, the timing parameter identifying a periodicity for collecting the one or more images; and

receiving an identification of a user as one of the one or more input path parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more images of a predefined area comprises:

receiving an image history taken from at least one of one or more public cameras or one or more private cameras.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more images of a predefined area comprises:

connecting to a server operably couplable to a mobile device to wirelessly receive the one or more images.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters comprises:

enabling a user of at least one of a fixed device or a mobile device to display the visual path.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more images of a predefined area comprises:

receiving at least one current image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area comprises:

receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more images of a predefined area comprises:

receiving at least one current image.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

taking the action with respect to the object, the action including one or more of highlighting the object, removing the object, or altering the object.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object comprises:

matching the object to a person.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object comprises:

matching the object to a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with the class of persons.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the input path parameters, the input path parameters including at least one location or at least one timing parameter.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area comprises:

combining the one or more images through an image stitching operation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein combining the one or more images to create the visual path, the visual path including one or more current images of the predefined area, the visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area comprises:

correlating a time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for at least one of displaying or retrieving the one or more images for the visual path.

17. A method for a display device to receive a mapped visual path, the method comprising:

transmitting a request for the mapped visual path, the request including one or more input path parameters associated with the mapped visual path; and

receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sequentially displaying the mapped visual path of the one or more images according to a time parameter.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting a request for the mapped visual path, the request including one or more input path parameters associated with the mapped visual path comprises:

transmitting a location parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters;

transmitting a time parameter as one of the one or more input path parameters, the time parameter identifying a periodicity for the one or more images; and

transmitting an identification of a user of the display device as one of the one or more input path parameters.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters comprises:

receiving the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including an integration of an image history taken from at least one of one or more public cameras or one or more private cameras and the one or more input path parameters.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters comprises:

connecting to a server operably couplable to a mobile device to wirelessly receive the one or more images.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters comprises:

transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object comprises:

transmitting the identifier, the identifier indicative of one or more of at least one of highlighting the object, removing the object, or altering the object.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting an identifier associated with an object on one or more of the one or more images, the identifier indicative of an action to be taken with respect to the object comprises:

transmitting the identifier to enable matching the object to at least one of a person or a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with one or more of the person or the class of persons.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters comprises:

displaying the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including the one or more images after a stitching operation is performed on the one or more images.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving from a processing device a mapped visual path, the mapped visual path including one or more images of a predefined area identified by the one or more input path parameters, the mapped visual path being an integration of the one or more images and the one or more input path parameters comprises:

displaying the mapped visual path, the mapped visual path being scrollable with respect to the predefined area.

27-51. -51. (canceled)

52. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

an image module coupled to the memory, the image module including at least;

a data store configurable to hold one or more images of a predefined area; and

an integration module configurable to integrate the images and generate a visual path through the predefined area.

53. The computer system of claim 52, further comprising:

a transmitter coupled to the processor, the transmitter configurable to transmit the visual path to a mobile device wirelessly connected to the computer system.

54. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the integration module is configurable to correlate a time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for at least one of displaying or retrieving images for the visual path.

55. The computer system of claim 53, wherein the integration module is configurable to operate with an image stitching application.

56. The computer system of claim 53, wherein the integration module is configured to receive one or more images of a user via one or more of a transmission from the user or a live feed from an internet source.

57. The computer system of claim 56, wherein the integration module tracks the user using the received one or more images.

58. The computer system of claim 56, wherein the integration module prepares a visual path including locations visited by the user.

59. The computer system of claim 56, wherein the integration module prepares a visual path including locations to be visited by the user.

60-160. -160. (canceled)