Methods and apparatus for imaging and displaying a navigable path

• US 8,797,402 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Said, Amir, Mukherjee, Debargha, Gargi, Ullas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): YODER III, CHRISS S
• Application Number:
  US10/300,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,277 Days
• Field of Search: 348/113, 348/115, 348/116, 348/118, 348/119, 348/121, 348/122, 348/123, 348/124, 701/211, 701/1
• US Class Current: 348/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

Various methods for imaging and navigating a selected path are described. A method of navigating a path includes the step of identifying a selected path. At least one image stream associated with navigating the selected path is identified. The displayed image stream includes visual information corresponding to traveling the selected path. In one embodiment, display of the image stream is varied in accordance with an actual location and a speed of a traveler along the selected path. Various single pass and multi-pass systems are described for capturing the visual information associated with a path. One method of acquiring visual information includes generating first and second image streams comprising visual information representing traversal of the path. Audio cues are recorded at the same plurality of locations on each pass. The audio cues permit synchronization of the image streams to locations along the path.

Claims

1. A method of navigating a path comprising:

a) identifying a selected path wherein the selected path includes at least one decision node connecting at least three path segments;

b) identifying a sequence of image streams corresponding to traveling the selected path, wherein each image stream includes visual information between each decision node;

c) displaying the sequence of image streams in sequential order, wherein step c) further comprises synthesizing a turn at the decision node to provide a transition between sequential image streams by switching to a different view from a current view and interpolating between the different view and the current view, wherein the different view and the current view are collected as multiple views.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) applying virtual element compensation to the image streams to compensate for differences in the image streams and actual appearance of the selected path.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein d) further comprises applying virtual lighting compensation to the image streams to mimic lighting conditions at a time of traveling the selected path.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein d) further comprises applying virtual precipitation compensation to the image streams to mimic weather conditions at a time of traveling the selected path.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

augmenting the displayed sequence of image streams with synthetic elements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein c) further comprises:

identifying a first position within the sequence of image streams corresponding to a current position;

identifying a second position within the sequence of image streams corresponding to a desired position; and

re-positioning the sequence of image streams to the second position for display, if a difference between the first and second positions exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pre-determined threshold is a number representing an acceptable number of image stream frames between the first and second positions.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the second position further comprises:

acquiring information determinative of an actual position of a user, wherein the desired position within the sequence of image streams corresponds to the actual position of the user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the second position further comprises:

acquiring information determinative of an actual position of a user and a corresponding actual position within the sequence of image streams; and

calculating the desired position as an offset to the actual position within the sequence of image streams such that the desired and actual positions within the sequence of image streams are distinct.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

varying a frame rate of display of the sequence of image streams in accordance with a speed of travel of a user along the selected path.