3-D map data visualization

• US 6,836,270 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geojet Information Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Geojet Information Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Du, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US10/136,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/423, 345/428, 345/835, 345/764, 345/810, 345/962, 345/440, 345/803, 345/804, 345/854, 345/841, 340/990, 340/995.27, 705/26, 705/27, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 701/214, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/200, 715/512
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2004 Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts

Abstract

Discloses a method and design for map based visualization and presentation of geographic features, terrain and property characteristics. A list of terrain attributes or group of properties are listed in one display area and a corresponding map with symbolized and coordinated property is displayed in a second display area. A property of interest is provided with a property box graphic on the map with the property box containing selected characteristics of the property and anchored at the location of the property. A three-dimensional (3-D) property characteristics model is disclosed which provides a visualization of selected property characteristics. The 3-D model supports visual analysis and comparison of a characteristic of a property to its neighboring properties. The 3-D visualization and analysis model may also be used to evaluate the proximity of a property to a natural hazard.

Claims

1. A property and presentation visualization system comprising:

(a) a first display area for presentation of a plurality of properties of interest and their respective characteristics,

(b) a second display area for presentation of a map with the properties of interest in the said first display area each provided with a symbol at the location of the respective property of interest on the map,

(c) at least one scale bar at a corner of the second display area, each scale bar corresponding to a measurement system distance unit and redrawn automatically after the scale of the map display changes, and

(d) the said first display area is visually coordinated with the said second display area wherein selecting a property of interest in the first display area will select and highlight the corresponding symbol in the second display area and vice versa.

2. A property visualization system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a list of graphical symbols for representation of properties of interest in the said first display area.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the scale bar does not exceed one inch on the second display area.

4. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising display of a 3-D Land Scene in the said second display area.

5. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising means to provide a vertical dimension of the properties of interest corresponding to a horizontal position of the properties of interest in the 3-D Land Scene.

6. A property visualization and presentation system comprising a property box for presentation of properties on a map, the said property box comprising:

(a) a display area containing a picture of a property,

(b) a list of selected textual characteristics of the property,

(c) contact information, and

(d) lead lines drawn from the property box to an anchoring point of the location of the property on a map.

7. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 6, the property box further including a boundary line surrounding a background.

8. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the boundary line comprises interconnecting curves or a mixture of curves and lines forming the boundary line of the property box.

9. A property and presentation visualization system comprising:

(a) a first display area for presentation of a plurality of properties of interest and their respective characteristics,

(b) a second display area for presentation of a map with the properties in the said first display area being symbolized at the location of the properties on the map,

(c) the said first display area is visually coordinated with the said second display area wherein selecting a property in the first display area will select and highlight the property in the second display area and vice versa, and

(d) a property box including;

(i) a display area containing a picture of the property,

(ii) a list of selected textual characteristics of the property,

(iii) contact information, and

(iv) lead lines drawn from the property box to the anchoring point of the property'"'"'s location on a map.

10. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 9 further including at least one scale bar at a corner of the second display area, each scale bar corresponding to a measurement system distance unit and each scale bar redrawn automatically after the scale of the map display changes.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the length of the scale bar does not exceed one inch on the display.

12. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising display of 3-D Land Scene in the said second display area.

13. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 9 further including textual conclusions displayed in the second display area.

14. A property visualization and presentation system comprising a 3-D property characteristics model comprising:

(a) the parcel shape of the property'"'"'s land on the earth surface forming the horizontal dimension of the property,

(b) at least one characteristic of the property as the vertical dimension of the property, and

(c) vertical dimension of the parcel shape modeled as zero(0), or the bottom of the 3-D model.

15. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a regular shape (circle, rectangle, or a point) inside the property parcel boundary being used as the bottom of the said 3-D model.

16. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising:

(d) the selected characteristic of the property used to form the vertical dimension being labeled at the top of the said 3-D model,

(e) one or more characteristics of the property, for example, house number, being labeled at the side of the said 3-D model, and

(f) the color of the top and side of the 3-D property model being determined in accordance with characteristics of the property.

17. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a horizontal plan representing the average value of the characteristic of interest wherein the vertical distance from the plan to the bottom of the 3-D model is in scale to the average value of the characteristic of interest.

18. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a horizontal plan representing the average value of the characteristic of interest wherein the vertical distance from the plan to the bottom of the 3-D model is in scale to the average value of the characteristic of interest.

19. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 18 further comprising part of the 3-D property characteristic model above the average of characteristic of interest is drawn with a style different from that below the average.

20. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

(a) a selected characteristic of the property used to form a vertical dimension of the 3-D model, the said selected characteristic presented as labeled on a top surface of the said 3-D model,

(b) one or more characteristics of the property including;

house number labeled on a side face of the said 3-D model, and

(c) the color of the top surface and side face of the 3-D property model being determined in accordance with characteristics of the property. average of characteristic of interest is drawn with a style different from that below the average.

21. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a horizontal plan representing the average value of the characteristic of interest wherein the vertical distance from the plan to the bottom of the 3-D model is in scale to the average value of the characteristic of interest.

22. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 21 further comprising part of the 3-D property characteristic model above the average of characteristic of interest is drawn with a style different from that below the average.

23. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising input means to allow users to:

(a) change the display style of the 3-D model,

(b) change the scale used to draw the vertical dimension of 3-D model, and

(c) change scales separately for the average value of subject characteristic and the residual of the property characteristic from the average value.

24. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising input means to allow users to:

(d) change the display style of the 3-D model,

(e) change the scale used to draw the vertical dimension of 3-D model, and

(f) change scales separately for the average value of subject characteristic and the residual of the property characteristic from the average value.

25. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

(a) display style of the subject property'"'"'s 3-D model different from those of others in the scene wherein a lighting source may be automatically set up to point to the subject of property to achieve the said effect.

26. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

(a) street names, landmarks, or flowing rivers drawn at the bottom of 3-D model (no vertical dimension exception the symbol itself), and

(b) arrows or any other means to represent the north of the earth surface in the 3-D scene.

27. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

(a) rotation means to allow users rotate the 3-D scene or automatically rotate the 3-D scene, and

(b) automatically to flip over the labels when the labels are upside down to the viewer in rotation.

28. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 to compare the characteristic of interest of a property of interest further comprising:

(a) means analytically to compare and draw a conclusion of comparison, and

(b) the said conclusion of comparison displayed outside and neighboring to, or in an appropriate place inside, the 3-D visualization display.

29. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising:

(a) the said property is a geographical aggregation of properties, and

(b) the said characteristics of a property are aggregated characteristics of the said geographically aggregated properties.

30. A property visualization and presentation system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising the 3-D property characteristics model drawn on top of a three dimensional Land Scene wherein the vertical dimension of the bottom face of the 3-D property characteristics model will follow the earth surface;

wherein the top face of 3-D property characteristics model is changed accordingly to be parallel to the bottom.

31. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard comprising:

(a) a base map representing streets, jurisdiction boundaries, geographic grids, land marks, or topography;

(b) a plurality of polygon shapes representing a natural hazard zone transparently overlaid on the said base map;

(c) a plurality of symbols, a selected one symbol representing the subject property displayed at the location of the property on the map;

(d) means analytically to draw conclusion of the said property'"'"'s closeness to the said natural hazard zone including horizontal and vertical distance to the said hazard zone if the said subject property is outside the said hazard zone; and

(e) the said conclusion listed outside and close to the said map display area, or in an appropriate place inside the said map display area.

32. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard as claimed in claim 31 further including a property box comprising:

(a) a display area containing a picture of the property,

(b) a list of selected textual characteristics of the property,

(c) contact information, and

(d) lead lines drawn from the property box to the anchoring point of the property'"'"'s location on a map.

33. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard as claimed in claim 31 further comprising:

(a) 3-D digital Land Scene displayed as the said base map,

(b) the said 3-D digital Land Scene drawn in opaque mode and in a color different from those of the said hazard zone and the subject property,

(c) the said natural hazard zone and property geographically overlaid with said digital Land Scene, and

(d) the said natural hazard zone drawn in transparent mode.

34. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard as claimed in claim 33 further comprising:

(a) means to derive the vertical dimension of the property from the horizontal dimension of the property, and the digital terrain model used in the said 3-D Land Scene, and

(b) means to derive the vertical dimension of the natural hazard zone from the horizontal dimension of the natural hazard, and the digital terrain model used in the said digital Land Scene.

35. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard as claimed in claim 34 further comprising the said property parcel shape drawn with style different and contrast to those of the said digital terrain model and natural hazard including a lighting source set up automatically to point to the property parcel shape.

36. A property visualization and presentation system to evaluate the closeness of a property of interest to a natural hazard as claimed in claim 35 further comprising:

(a) means interactively to rotate the 3-D scene or automatically to rotate the 3-D scene, and

(b) means automatically to flip over the labels if the labels in the scene is upside down to the viewer in rotation.