Progressive disclosure of indoor maps

• US 8,928,657 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bailiang, Zhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Xiao, Ke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imperial, Jed-Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/788,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345/419, 345/428, 345/589, 345/592, 345/619, 345/642, 345/660, 345/420, 345/581, 345/661, 345664-666, 345473-475, 715/700, 715/764, 715/781, 715/810, 715/815, 715848-852, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/08 Volume rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/04 Architectural design, interior design
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/62 Semi-transparency

Abstract

A digital map of a geographic area is displayed via a user interface, and a 3D representation of a building located in the geographic area is displayed on the digital map. A virtual camera is used to view the digital map, and the location of the virtual camera is changeable in response to user input. The external shell of the 3D representation is made increasingly transparent as a virtual camera approaches the 3D representation of the building to reveal indoor information for the building.

Claims

1. A method in a computing device for providing an intuitive display of a building on a digital map, the method comprising:

displaying a digital map of a geographic area via a user interface of the computing device from a perspective of a virtual camera;

displaying, on the digital map, a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a building located in the geographic area, including displaying an external shell of the building;

receiving, via the user interface, a request to change a position of the virtual camera to approach the 3D representation of the building;

in response to the received request, changing the position of the virtual camera to approach the 3D representation of the building; and

as the position of the virtual camera is changed to approach the 3D representation of the building, (i) when a distance between the position of the virtual camera and the 3D representation of the building meets or exceeds a threshold value, increasing transparency of the external shell of the building while the partially transparent external shell completely obscures indoor map information within the 3D representation of the building and (ii) when the distance between the position of the virtual camera and the 3D representation of the building is smaller than the threshold value;

revealing the indoor map information within the 3D representation of the building through the partially transparent external shell, and

increasing a detail of the indoor map information within the 3D representation of the building.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to changing the position of the virtual camera:

rendering the external shell of the building in an opaque manner;

detecting a selection of the 3D representation of the building via the user interface; and

in response to the selection, rendering the external shell of the building in a partially transparent manner.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the selection of the 3D representation of the building via the user interface includes detecting a tap gesture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing transparency of the external shell of the building includes progressively increasing transparency of at least one of (i) a vertical wall and (ii) a roof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to change the position of the virtual camera includes receiving a zoom command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the building is a multi-story building;

the method further comprising;

identifying a default floor of the multi-story building,

wherein the indoor map information for the building includes a floor map of the default floor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indoor map information for the building includes a floor map comprising one or more of:

(i) a layout of internal walls or dividers,

(ii) names of entities occupying different portions of a default floor of the building, and

(iii) locations of elevators, escalators, and restrooms.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing transparency of the external shell of the building includes applying, for a plurality of discrete zoom levels, a plurality of respective transparency values.

9. A computing device comprising:

a user interface including a display device;

one or more processors; and

a memory storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

display a digital map of a geographic area via the user interface from a perspective of a virtual camera;

display, on the digital map, a three-dimensional (3D) representation of a building located in the geographic area, wherein the 3D representation of the building includes an external shell;

receive, via the user interface, a request to change a position of the virtual camera to approach the 3D representation of the building,

in response to the received request, change the position of the virtual camera to approach the 3D representation of the building, and

as the position of the virtual camera is changed to approach the 3D representation of the building, (i) when a distance between the position of the virtual camera and the 3D representation of the building meets or exceeds a threshold value, increase a transparency of the external shell while the partially transparent external shell completely obscures associated internal features of the building within the 3D representation of the building and (ii) when the distance between the position of the virtual camera and the 3D representation of the building is smaller than the threshold value;

reveal the associated internal features within the 3D representation of the building through the partially transparent external shell, and

increase a detail of the associated internal features within the 3D representation of the building.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

receive, via the user interface, an additional request to change the position of the virtual camera to distance from the 3D representation of the building,

in response to the received additional request, change the position of the virtual camera to distance from 3D representation of the building, and

as the position of the virtual camera is changed to distance from the 3D representation of the building, simultaneously (i) decrease a transparency of the external shell and (ii) decrease a detail of the associated internal features within the 3D representation of the building.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the computing device to change the position of the virtual camera in response to a zoom command.

12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the external shell includes at least one of (i) vertical walls and (ii) a roof.

13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the associated internal features of the building include a floor map comprising one or more of:

(i) a layout of internal walls or dividers,

(ii) names of entities occupying different portions of a default floor of the building, and

(iii) locations of elevators, escalators, and restrooms.