IMAGE SEARCH FOR A LOCATION

• US 20160140755A1
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Billy W., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/587 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30181 Earth observation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

Provided are techniques for image search for a location. Street view data is extracted to identify a path for a region. Points of interest for the path are identified. Images for the points of interest for a direction of the path are identified. The images are used to create a sequence of images representing a view of the points of interest along the direction of the path. The sequence of images are displayed adjacent to a map that includes the path.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

extracting, using a processor of a computer, street view data to identify a path for a region;

identifying points of interest for the path;

obtaining images for the points of interest for a direction of the path;

using the images to create a sequence of images representing a view of the points of interest along the direction of the path; and

displaying the sequence of images adjacent to a map that includes the path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving selection of a location, wherein the location is one of a point and the region.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location is the point, and wherein the region is identified as an area surrounding the point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the images in the sequence of images represent a street view of the points of interest along the path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

ranking each of the obtained images to form the sequence of images.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the points of interest using historical image data analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the region is by receiving a name of a location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the region is by receiving a boundary of the region on an electronic map displayed on a computer screen.

9-20. -20. (canceled)