System and method for creating, storing and utilizing images of a geographic location
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. In a system including an image source and a user terminal having a screen and an input device, a method for enabling visual navigation of a geographic area from the user terminal, the method comprising:
- receiving a first user input specifying a first location in the geographic area;
retrieving from the image source a first image associated with the first location, the image source providing a plurality of images depicting views of objects in the geographic area, the views being substantially elevations of the objects in the geographic area, wherein the images are associated with image frames acquired by an image recording device moving along a trajectory;
displaying an icon associated with an object in the geographic area;
receiving a user selection of the icon; and
identifying a second location based on the user selection.
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Abstract
A system and method synthesizing images of a locale to generate a composite image that provide a panoramic view of the locale. A video camera moves along a street recording images of objects along the street. A GPS receiver and inertial navigation system provide the position of the camera as the images are being recorded. The images are indexed with the position data provided by the GPS receiver and inertial navigation system. The composite image is created on a column-by-column basis by determining which of the acquired images contains the desired pixel column, extracting the pixels associated with the column, and stacking the columns side by side. The composite images are stored in an image database and associated with a street name and number range of the street being depicted in the image. The image database covers a substantial amount of a geographic area allowing a user to visually navigate the area from a user terminal.
68 Citations
35 Claims
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1. In a system including an image source and a user terminal having a screen and an input device, a method for enabling visual navigation of a geographic area from the user terminal, the method comprising:
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receiving a first user input specifying a first location in the geographic area; retrieving from the image source a first image associated with the first location, the image source providing a plurality of images depicting views of objects in the geographic area, the views being substantially elevations of the objects in the geographic area, wherein the images are associated with image frames acquired by an image recording device moving along a trajectory; displaying an icon associated with an object in the geographic area; receiving a user selection of the icon; and identifying a second location based on the user selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for enabling visual navigation of a geographic area from a user terminal, the system comprising:
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means for accessing an image source providing a plurality of images depicting views of objects in the geographic area, the views being substantially elevations of the objects in the geographic area, wherein the images are associated with image frames acquired by an image recording device moving along a trajectory; means for receiving a first user input specifying a first location in the geographic area; means for retrieving from the image source a first image associated with the first location; means for displaying an icon associated with an object in the geographic area; means for receiving a user selection of the icon; and means for identifying a second location based on the user selection. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification