Segmented editor for tours of a geographic information system, and applications thereof

• US 8,797,315 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuhne, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K
• Application Number:
  US12/893,216
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/423, 345/629, 715/230
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images

Abstract

Embodiments relate to editing a tour in a geographic information system. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method efficiently edits a tour through a three-dimensional environment on a geographic information system. In the method, a user is enabled to define a tour comprising a series of segments. Each segment specifies a duration of the segment in the tour, a position of a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the tour, and an asset to be visible at a specified position in the three-dimensional environment at a time relative to when the segment of the tour is played. A user is also enabled to alter an order of the series of segments. In response to an input to play the tour, for each segment of the tour in an order specified by the series of segments, the virtual camera is moved to the position specified by the segment to display the three-dimensional environment from a viewpoint of the virtual camera. The asset is displayed in the three-dimensional environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for efficiently editing a tour, comprising:

(a) receiving by one or more computing devices, user-defined tour, the user-defined tour comprising a series of segments, each segment specifying;

(i) a duration of the segment in the user-defined tour,

(ii) a position of a virtual camera in a three-dimensional environment on a geographic information system during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour, the three-dimensional environment including a three-dimensional model of geographic information and the virtual camera specifying a viewpoint to display the three-dimensional model of geographic information in the three-dimensional environment, and

(iii) an asset to be displayed at a specified position in the three, dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour;

(b) a receiving, by the one or more computing devices, alteration to an order of the series of segments;

(c) receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request to play the user-defined tour;

in response to receiving, the request to play the user-defined tour, for each segment of the user-defined tour in an order based at least in part on the received alteration of the order of the series of segments;

(d) moving, by the one or more computing devices, the virtual camera through the three-dimensional environment to the position specified by the segment to display the three-dimensional environment from the viewpoint of the virtual camera; and

(e) displaying, by the one or more computing devices the asset in the three-dimensional environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the (a) receiving the user-defined tour comprises providing an interface displaying:

(i) a plurality of segment icons in chronological order, each segment icon representing a segment in the series of segments;

(ii) a cursor identifying a particular time of a segment of the user-defined tour; and

(iii) a viewport displaying the three-dimensional environment from a perspective of a virtual camera at the particular time identified by the cursor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of each of the plurality of segment icons corresponds to the duration of the segment represented by the segment icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, for at least one segment in the series of segments, the asset has a specified position within a view frustrum of a virtual camera at the position of a virtual camera specified in the segment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a two-dimensional overlay to be texture mapped on a three-dimensional model in the three dimensional environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a three-dimensional model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a two-dimensional placemark to be displayed at a specified position and orientation in the three dimensional model.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a point of interest to be displayed at a specified position in the three dimensional model.

9. A system for efficiently editing a tour, comprising:

a tour editor module that defines a user-defined tour through a three-dimensional environment on a geographic information system, the user-defined tour comprising a series of segments and alters an order of the series of segments, each segment of the series specifying;

(i) a duration of the segment in the user-defined tour,

(ii) a position of a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour, the virtual camera specifying a viewpoint to display the three-dimensional model of geographic information in the three-dimensional environment, and

(iii) an asset to be displayed at a specified position in the three-dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour;

a tour interpreter module that receives a request to play the user-defined tour and, in response to the request to play the user-defined tour, for each segment of the user-defined tour in an order specified by the series of segments, changes a position in the three-dimensional environment of the virtual camera to the position specified by the segment to display the three-dimensional environment from the viewpoint of the virtual camera; and

a renderer module that, for each segment of the user-defined tour in an order specified by the series of segments, renders the asset in the three-dimensional environment in response to the input to play the user-defined tour

wherein the series of segments tour editor module, tour interpreter module, renderer module are, each implemented on at least one computing device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tour editor module provides an interface displaying:

(i) a plurality of segment icons in chronological order, each segment icon representing a segment in the series of segments;

(ii) a cursor identifying a particular time of a segment of the user-defined tour; and

(iii) a viewport displaying the three-dimensional environment from a perspective of a virtual camera at the particular time identified by the cursor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a length of each of the plurality of segment icons corresponds to the duration of the segment represented by the segment icon.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein, for at least one segment in the series of segments, the asset has a specified position within a view frustrum of a virtual camera at the position of a virtual camera specified in the segment.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a two-dimensional overlay to be texture mapped on a three-dimensional model in the three dimensional environment.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a two-dimensional overlay to be texture mapped on a three-dimensional model in the three dimensional environment.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a three-dimensional model.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a two-dimensional placemark to be displayed at a specified position and orientation in the three dimensional model.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a point of interest to be displayed at a specified position in the three dimensional model.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for efficiently editing a tour, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, by one or more computing devices, a user-defined tour, the user-defined tour comprising a series of segments, each segment specifying;

(i) a duration of the segment in the user-defined tour,

(ii) a position of a virtual camera in a three-dimensional environment on a geographic information system during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour, the three-dimensional environment including a three-dimensional model of geographic information and the virtual camera specifying a viewpoint to display the three-dimensional model of geographic information in the three-dimensional environment, and

(iii) an asset to be displayed at a specified position in the three-dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the user-defined tour;

(b) receiving, by the one or more computing devices, alteration to an order of the series of segments;

(c) receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request to play the user defined tour;

in response to receiving the request to play the user-defined tour, for each segment of the user-defined tour in an order based at least in part on the received alteration of the order of the series of segments;

(d) moving, by the one or more computing devices, the virtual camera through the three-dimensional environment to the position specified by the segment to display the three-dimensional environment from the viewpoint of the virtual camera; and

(e) displaying, by the one or more computing devices, the asset in the three-dimensional environment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein an asset of at least one segment of the series of segments includes a three-dimensional model.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, for at least one segment in the series of segments, the asset has a specified position within a view frustrum of a virtual camera at the position of a virtual camera specified in the segment.