Image mapping to provide visual geographic path

• US 7,764,811 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Location Based Services, LLC (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lord, Robert W., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Azarian; Seyed
• Application Number:
  US12/231,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/104, 382/106, 382/113, 382/114, 382/155, 382/118, 382/168, 382/180, 382/181, 382/184, 382/189, 382/216, 382/232, 382/255, 382/274, 382/276, 382/291, 382/305, 382/284, 707/101, 379/201.03, 701/209, 701/200, 701/201, 345/619
• US Class Current: 382/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

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:

monitoring, by a computer including a processing device, a visual path taken by a wireless user in a predefined area receiving at the computer one or more current images collected in real-time or near real-time of the predefined area while the user is in the predefined area;

processing, by the computer, one or more input path parameters associated with the one or more current images;

integrating, by the computer, the one or more current images and the one or more input path parameters into a visual path through the predefined area; and

mapping, by the computer, the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters for transmission to a display device, for storage for later mobile use, or a combination thereof;

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 the user as one of the 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 the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving an image history taken from one or more public cameras and/or one or more private cameras.

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

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

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

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

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving at least one current image.

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

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.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

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

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the 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 includes:

matching the object to a person.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the 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 includes:

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

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving one or more images of a predefined area includes:

receiving at least one current image.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the 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 includes:

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

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the 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 includes:

correlating a time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for displaying the one or more images for the visual path, retrieving the one or more images for the visual path, or a combination thereof.

16. A computer program product comprising:

computer readable media bearing computer executable instructions including one or more instructions for monitoring a visual path taken by a wireless device user in a predefined area;

one or more instructions for receiving at a processing device one or more current images collected in near real-time of the predefined area by the wireless device user while the visual path taken by the wireless device user is monitored;

one or more instructions for processing one or more input path parameters associated with the one or more current images;

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

one or more instructions for mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters for transmission to a display device, for storage for later mobile use, or a combination thereof, including;

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 the user as one of the one or more input path parameters.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the computer readable media comprises:

a recordable medium.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the computer readable media comprises:

a transmission medium.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

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

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters includes:

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

one or more instructions for 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

one or more instructions for receiving an identification of the wireless device user as one of the one or more input path parameters.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area include:

one or more instructions for receiving an image history taken from one or more public cameras, one or more private cameras, or a combination thereof.

22. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area include:

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

23. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for mapping the visual path through the predefined area in response to one or more input path parameters includes:

one or more instructions for enabling a user of one of a fixed device, or a mobile device to display the visual path.

24. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for receiving one or more images of a predefined area include:

one or more instructions for receiving at least one current image.

25. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the one or more instructions for integrating the one or more images and the one or more parameters into a map of the predefined area include:

one or more instructions for 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.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 further comprising:

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

27. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the one or more instructions for 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 include:

one or more instructions for matching the object to a person.

28. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein the one or more instructions for 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 include:

one or more instructions for matching the object to a class of persons, the object acted upon according to an association with the class of persons.

29. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

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

30. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

one or more instructions for 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.

31. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

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

32. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising:

one or more instructions for correlating a time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for displaying the one or more images for the visual path, retrieving the one or more images for the visual path, or a combination thereof.

33. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

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

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

an integration module configurable to;

integrate the images and generate a visual path through the predefined area; and

periodically update the visual path with additional real-time or near real- time images of the predefined area captured by a camera in the predefined area, the visual path is periodically updated according to a time parameter and a location of a user of a mobile device as the user of the mobile device moves through the predefined area, the time parameter and the location of the user based at least in part on a speed at which the user of the mobile device moves through the predefined area; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor, the transmitter configurable to transmit the visual path to the mobile device while

the mobile device is in the predefined area, the mobile device being wirelessly connected to the computer system.

34. The computer system of claim 33 wherein the integration module is configurable to correlate the time parameter with the visual path to provide an interval for displaying images for the visual path, retrieving images for the visual path, or a combination thereof.

35. The computer system of claim 33 wherein the integration module is configurable to operate with an image stitching application.